Understanding biology through chemistry - 5 views

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  #1 Kara Pezzi on 10 Oct 14

   

  As a student in high school, I took the traditional sequence of science courses for my school: physical science, biology, chemistry, and physics. I have a distinct memory of biology where my teacher was talking about the special properties of DNA - the two strands "knew" to pair up with each other. I remember learning that RNA coded for protein and that the RNA "knew" which amino acid to get. I came away from this experience totally baffled by how all of this worked. I viewed DNA/RNA as some kind of sentient, special molecules. I tried asking my teacher how this worked, but all I got was the same explanation, only slower.
  
  It wasn't until I took chemistry that I finally had the vocabulary to ask my question and to get the answer I was seeking. Of course DNA and RNA were just molecules composed of atoms! I finally understood molecules enough to know that there was not an inherent specialness to these molecules; it was just the ability of the molecules to attract each other that allowed the double helix to form and that attracted specific amino acids to the specific base pairs in tRNA. That insight made me aware that every THING was made of this wonderful stuff called atoms and molecules. It was my high school chemistry teacher who set me on the path that led to a degree in chemistry and later to becoming a certified high school chemistry teacher which allows me to share my insights with my students.

   

  <div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">As a student in high school, I took the traditional sequence of science courses for my school: physical science, biology, chemistry, and physics. I have a distinct memory of biology where my teacher was talking about the special properties of DNA - the two strands "knew" to pair up with each other. I remember learning that RNA coded for protein and that the RNA "knew" which amino acid to get. I came away from this experience totally baffled by how all of this worked. I viewed DNA/RNA as some kind of sentient, special molecules. I tried asking my teacher how this worked, but all I got was the same explanation, only slower. <br /> <br /> It wasn't until I took chemistry that I finally had the vocabulary to ask my question and to get the answer I was seeking. Of course DNA and RNA were just molecules composed of atoms! I finally understood molecules enough to know that there was not an inherent specialness to these molecules; it was just the ability of the molecules to attract each other that allowed the double helix to form and that attracted specific amino acids to the specific base pairs in tRNA. That insight made me aware that every THING was made of this wonderful stuff called atoms and molecules. It was my high school chemistry teacher who set me on the path that led to a degree in chemistry and later to becoming a certified high school chemistry teacher which allows me to share my insights with my students.</div>

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  #2 jhbiol on 12 Oct 14

   

  I can remember having almost exactly the same issue with transcription and translation. I couldn't get how all these things just seem to randomly "know" how to connect with the right other thing. AND I wasn't quite sure of what of the whole purpose of the process was. I remember the moment when I realized how important proteins are and what they do and that these are the processes to make new proteins and it all seem to fall into place after that.

   

  <div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">I can remember having almost exactly the same issue with transcription and translation. I couldn't get how all these things just seem to randomly "know" how to connect with the right other thing. AND I wasn't quite sure of what of the whole purpose of the process was. I remember the moment when I realized how important proteins are and what they do and that these are the processes to make new proteins and it all seem to fall into place after that.</div>

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