Catalyzing ways of thinking

Ferocious Beauty: Genome

Liz Lerman Dance Exchange

World Premiere

February 3, 2006

Wesleyan University

Scientist as a Choreographer

is

Biological Processes

Viewing c.f. Describing c.f. Modeling

Representations?Levels of organization?

Units? Rules?

Choreography?

Algorithm

Choreography of Biological Processes

• Local rules?• Global behavior?

Science Choreography

• Viewing a biological process

• Describing a biological process– Component identification / parts lists– Initial superficial understanding

• Modeling a biological process– Deep understanding– Relationships between parts– Choreography

Molecular biology concepts from informatics perspective

• Biological machine– What does this mean ?– Examples ?– What does this mean physically ?– Choreograph a biological machine

Molecular biology concepts from informatics perspective

• Algorithm in biology– What does this mean ?– Examples ?– Local rules ?– Emergent behavior– Choreograph a biological algorithm

Key concept in molecular biology and bioinformatics

• Base pairing– Why key?

• Choreograph base pairing– Key properties?– C.f. covalent

Protein Translation

From Alberts et al. Molecular Biology of the Cell 2002

Protein Translation

From Alberts et al. Molecular Biology of the Cell 2002

Protein TranslationInitiation

From Alberts et al. Molecular Biology of the Cell 2002

Protein TranslationInitiation

From Alberts et al. Molecular Biology of the Cell 2002

The core of molecular biology

4 X 4 X 4 X…….. 4n

DNA is a code

Zipping and Unzipping

Molecular biology concepts from informatics perspective

• Consensus sequence– What does this mean ?– Examples ?– What does this mean physically ?– Choreograph recognition of consensus

sequence by biological machine

Zipping and Unzipping

Central to biology• DNA replication• RNA transcription

Central to molecular biology technologies• Southern, Northern, PCR, microarrays

Zipping and Unzipping

Microarray technology• Power?• Implications?• Ethics?

Central to biology• DNA replication• RNA transcription

Central to molecular biology technologies• Southern, Northern, PCR, microarrays