BIL 150 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Murchison Meteorite, Big Bang, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon
Document Summary
A self-sustaining chemical system capable of darwinian evolution able to maintain an internal environs different form external environs, and manifest in a universal structure of life the cell. We must start by answering big questions. Ten things that characterize a cell as living: cells have evolutionary origin (from 1 ancestor cell, cells obey thermodynamics (transform energy) Obey same laws as universe: cells are structured, exhibit emergent properties. Emergent: the system has it, but individual parts do not. Consider cheap elements of body, but mix properly and get special antibodies (jmm) Body is mostly o, c, h, n. More on some important characteristics of cells. All cells from a single primordial cell------ **based on circumstantial evidence, commonality only (not actually proven)** All living things composed of similar molecules: proteins, lipids, carbs . Rxns via enzymes) made from only 20 standard amino acids. All organisms use dna/rna and same genetic code. Three possible hypotheses on origin of life/cells.