DNA is a double helix made up of 4 building blocks -bases- called adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C) and guanine (G). The human body contains almost 3 billion bases of DNA.
We are made of
We are made of DNA
Deoxyribonucleic
Acid is what we are made of
We are made of DNA
We are made of DNA
Strands of
Are where all these bodies came from
In the story of life on this crazy planet
The protagonist isn’t man, no
It’s a
Called deoxyribonucleic acid
The DNA strand has the same basic plan
In , every plant
Every animal, every little flea
Has the same with a certain percentage
Of the same arranged identically
It’s no coincidence; it means every living thing
Has a with every living thing
This is true for Jews and Christians and Sufi mystics
And Buddhists and every religion and superstition
If you can listen to this it means you’re passing through
This existence on a
And you’re just one of its newest inventions
Although genes get a lot of attention, its the proteins that perform most life functions and make up the majority of cellular structures. Proteins are large, complex molecules made up of smaller subunits called amino acids. Chemical properties that distinguish the 20 different amino acids cause the protein chains to fold up into specific three-dimensional structures that define their particular functions in the cell. Courtesy of: U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science
We are made of DNA
We are made of DNA
Deoxyribonucleic
Acid is what we are made of
We are made of DNA
We are made of DNA
Strands of double helix
Are where all these bodies came from
Now if you want me to tell you how a simple molecule
Could build bodies so well with such an obvious wealth
Of variation and , well
In DNA’s case it’s ‘cause it copies itself
And makes which would not really help
Except that one in every million is a slight improvement
And leaves more copies, whether mice or humans
And that’s what keeps this whole life thing movin’
Changing and growing and competing for mates
‘Cause that’s the only way to keep your DNA
Up in the race, which explains a lot
Like how animals and plants all behave in the wild
So next time you shake hands or break dance
Or make plans, don’t forget the straight facts
The information that makes your brains and hands
Comes from one place:
We are made of DNA
We are made of DNA
Deoxyribonucleic
Acid is what we are made of
We are made of DNA
We are made of DNA
Strands of double helix
Are where all these bodies came from
Yeah, this goes out to Watson and Crick
Who discovered the twist
And to the Human Genome Project
And to those who speed up the process
I mean like Digital PCR
Record a gene faster than a VCR
This is the future so you better get used to it
This is what we are
DNA or ‘Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid’ is essentially a complex molecule that encodes genetic information. It provides a set of instructions used in the development and functioning of all living organisms. DNA consists of two sugar-phosphate strands wound around each other in a double helix, bound together by a sequence of pairs known as ‘bases’: adenine, guanine, cytosine and thymine
Who discovered the structure of DNA and why exactly is it shaped as double helix? Delve into the world of science history with James Watson, Francis Crick and Rosalind Franklin
How do we know for sure that genes are made from DNA and that DNA encodes (genetic) information? In the 1920s, experiments showed that a harmless strain of bacteria can become infectious when mixed with a virulent strain of bacteria that had been killed. The dead bacteria apparently provide some chemical that “transforms” the harmless bacteria to infectious ones. This so-called “transforming principle” appeared to be a gene. Find out more about the experiment they used here.
With the exception of ‘RNA viruses‘ (which store their information as ribonucleic acid) , all living things share this genetic code, but it is arranged differently in different species to produce the variety of life seen on the planet today. Think of it like flour. This is used to make cakes, bread, biscuits and many other recipes none of which taste or look exactly the same
So how do you get from DNA, simply said a genetic code, to flesh and blood? The video below explains
Although the human genome consists of only 4 letters, A, G, C and T (nucleotides) there are 3 billion of these letters (the letters form words (codons) which give instructions on how to make proteins). As a ‘book’ all these letters and words would fill two-hundred, 500 page telephone directories and stack 61 meters (200 ft) high. It would also take a century to recite if we recited at 1 letter per second, 24 hours per day
Also known as the ‘most recent common ancestor’ (MRCA) this is the most recent individual from which all organisms in the group are directly descended. Wondering how human evolution all fits together? Watch this video to find out more: Sorting out Human Evolution – by Chris Stringer
Individuals, you and me, all eventually die. A whole population may die out and even a whole species may go extinct. Hence, some scientists, notably Richard Dawkins in his book ‘River out of Eden,’ views life as a ‘river’ of genes flowing through time. You and I are just the carriers or vessels of these genes. As long as we survive long enough to reproduce the genes will persist. It is for this reason that natural selection can support lethal and harmful variants of genes, if their expression occurs after reproduction e.g. Huntington’s or Parkinson’s Disease.
Adaptation is any characteristic of an organism that improves its survival and reproduction in its local environment
Like the different ingredients in a cooking recipe, if genes are shuffled in the wrong order or left out, a problem may result. In the case of cooking, your bread may not rise or your cake might be sour rather than sweet. In the case of genes, these mistakes, also known as ‘mutations’, can cause changes in the DNA sequence. More often than not, this means a crucial component (e.g. protein) cannot be made and illness or death may result. Such mutations are therefore said to be ‘deleterious’. Mutations can also be caused by external agents such as radiation or viruses. Mutations are however a crucial source of genetic variation
Still hungry for more information on everything genetics? Check out the excellent resources provided by Cold Spring Harbor:DNA from the Beginning
The track is awesome and the video sublime! Your collaboration with the Wellcome Trust is producing some incredible stuff. Thanks for making science cool 🙂
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Hi Baba, great start to show. It makes sense of science. I look forward to more. Rod
Nice job on the melody. Straight out of a childhood dream of mine. Fortunately I can now understand the words.
Nice to see art and science in such a good collaboration. Also nice to see art as educational. Play any High Schools lately??
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Man, This is Wonderful! As an Arab I feel happy to see some Belly Dancing going on! keep up the great work! you are an inspiration!
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The track is awesome and the video sublime! Your collaboration with the Wellcome Trust is producing some incredible stuff. Thanks for making science cool 🙂
-Cheers
My favourite. You are the best.