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The Origin of Life
In modern organisms, there is a division of labor between two kinds of molecule: DNA, which stores and transmits genetic information, and proteins, which do all the work. They are connected by the genetic code, whereby DNA specifies what kinds of proteins can be made. This process of translation is well understood, but it is far too complicated to have arisen by chance in the primitive oceans. This video lecture explores how this apparent paradox can be resolved. The video explains: the importance of heredity to the definition of life; how nucleotides pair and transfer information; how tRNA is used to transfer a message to enzymes; and how evolution consists of several major changes in the way information is stored, transmitted, and used. The video is 1 hour in length.
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More about this material
- Material Type:
- Reference Material
- Date Added to MERLOT:
- August 3, 2016
- Date Modified in MERLOT:
- February 1, 2019
- Author:
- Vega Science Trust
- Submitter:
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Barbra Bied Sperling
