Analysis of Cell DNA - Essay Example

The human being always thrives for better and improved physical and economic standards of living. Our ancestors were using crude techniques to achieve the same. And, currently, we are using sophisticated techniques based on scientific principles for a healthy future. Biology is the science of life. The process of using this science of life is a tool to change our future in all walks of life.

The living things are classified into prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Bacterial cells are prokaryotes with a simple structure without complex organelle systems. Figure 1. A (1) shows the prokaryotic cell structure of unicellular bacteria and Figure 1. B shows many bacterial cells. Bacteria are the smallest organism on our planet.                                                                                                                                                                

Plant cells (Figure 2) (2) form plants. Animal cells (Figure 3) (3) form animals. Plants and animal cells are eukaryotes having larger sizes than eukaryotes and have complex organelle systems. Cells are put together to form tissues. Tissues form organs. The organs are put together to form an organ system. The organ systems are put together to make plants and animals.

The organelle nucleus in the eukaryotic cell accommodates deoxyribose nucleic acid (DNA) which is a blueprint of our life. DNA houses the intelligence needed to determine the characteristic shape (structure) and job (function) of all living creatures. We get this DNA from our parents which decides our physical makeup, and our intelligence, and it reflects our personality. DNA of a cell decides the characteristic role that the cell has to play in our body. This double helix DNA is like a spiral staircase. DNA can be extracted from any living thing and can be seen in a test tube with the naked eye in the form of long ropy strings. This DNA is made up of four nucleotides A, T, C, and G (Figure 4) (4). The various permutations and combinations of these nucleotides differentiate each living being. It decides who and how we should be. Human beings have more than three billion nucleotides per cell. We consume 55, 000, 000 cells or about 93,205 miles of DNA per meal (5). A particular order of these nucleotides (A, T, C, and G) / letters is called a sequence to deliver a particular instruction. These four letters are miracle alphabets controlling our bodies.                                                                                                                                                       

The set of information on the DNA helps to make various proteins in the body. The protein molecules are composed of different amino acids. The amino acid arrangement decides to fold off the protein and thereby ascertain various properties of a particular protein molecule. The structural proteins form the framework of muscles, connective tissue, hair, etc. The enzyme proteins enhance the rate of biochemical reactions in our bodies. The antibodies are proteins that fight the foreign substance/ invader that attacks our body. A part of the DNA that regulates a particular protein production is referred to as a ‘gene’. Thus, a diverse variety of life can be created by manipulating codewords of DNA. The human genome is an instruction manual or complete map of our body.