Gene machines

In the human cell there are 23 pairs of chromosomes containing approximately 3000 million base pairs of DNA. Short sequences of DNA, perhaps with as few as 20 nucleotide units and sometimes radiolabeled, can be obtained either by chemical synthesis (gene machine) or from cloning. These short sequences can be used to probe for a complementary sequence by looking for the position to which they bind to any DNA sample under investigation, from blood for example. Such probes can detect as little as 100 fg of DNA and are the basis of forensic genetic fingerprinting tests. 

This is a restatement of Richard Dawkins selfish gene theory. Most biologists do not see the concept as a radical idea but as a helpful way of viewing natural selection. Of course our bodies are more than gene machines, as Dawkins is the first to admit but many harsh facts of life, such as illness, ageing and death, can best be understood rationally in these terms. 

Balkwell, F. and Rolph, M. (2002) Gene Machines, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, New York. 

Cobbs C. Machines and genes superfast computers aid today s genetic advances. Orlando Sentinel 2002 July 15, p.Gl. 

Keaveney M, Struhl K Activator-mediated recruitment of the RNA polymerase machinery is the predominant mechanism for transcriptional activation in yeast. Mol Cell 1998 1 917. Lemon B, Tjian R Orchestrated response a symphony of transcription factors for gene control. Genes Dev 2000 l4 255l. Maniatis T, Reed R An extensive network of coupling among gene expression machines. Nature 2002 416 499. 

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