Central Dogma of Molecular Biology
Central Dogma of Molecular Biology is basically an explanation of how genetic information flows within a biological system. The concept was first brought into the limelight by Francis Crick in 1956. In 1970, it was again stated in a Nature paper. The Central Dogma of Molecular Biology states that sequential information is not transferrable back from protein to either nucleic acid or protein. This precisely means that once information has got into protein, it can never flow back to nucleic acid.
The central dogma of molecular biology is a framework that can help in understanding the way in which sequence information is transferred in living organisms. The sequential information carries biopolymers that include DNA, RNA and protein. The dogma lists three groups of transfers that include general, special and unknown transfers. General transfers are those that take place normally in a variety of body cells. Special transfers on the other hand, are known to occur but limited to certain conditions in the laboratory or in case of viruses. Unknown transfers never take place.
The general transfers that are highlighted above indicate the normal flow of biological information across the body of organisms. According to the central dogma of molecular biology, DNA can be copied to DNA through a process known as DNA replication. Information contained in the DNA can be copied into MRNA through the process of transcription. Proteins on the other hand, can be synthesized through the use of the information that is contained in MRNA. This process is known as translation.
The biopolymers that include RNA, DNA and peptides are classified under linear polymers. This is to say that every monomer is connected to not more than two other monomers. Information is effectively encoded by the sequence of their monomers. According to the transfer of information that is described by the central dogma of molecular biology, one sequence of a biopolymer acts as template for the building of another biopolymer. The newly created biopolymer takes a sequence that is similar to that of the original one.
Despite the central dogma of molecular biology being a concept that most people have agreed with, it should be noted that it has its setbacks too. Some people have questioned certain issues related to the hypothesis and it would be in order that you also get to find out about such concerns. One of the issues is that the hypothesis does not provide information on what the machinery of transfer is made of. Besides, it does not on the aspect of errors.
The central dogma of molecular biology also does not say anything regarding control mechanisms. There is no information about the rate at which the process takes place. According to recent analyses on the central dogma of molecular biology, there are concerns that the hypothesis is not entirely accurate considering that it mainly focuses on proteins as the mediating unit in biological function. Current research is focused on investigating the work of RNA that neither codes nor follows the dogma framework.
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Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_dogma_of_molecular_biology
http://www.pedagogie.ac-aix-marseille.fr/upload/docs/application/pdf/2011-08/central_dogma_crick.pdf