Steven Gollmer Cedarville University Complex Life: Page 1 HON-3230 Chance, Emergence or Design Origin of Complex Life

Steven GollmerCedarville University

Complex Life: Page 1

HON-3230

Chance, Emergence or Design

Origin of Complex Life



From a Simple Replicator• Life requirements

– Information storage– Replication– Metabolism

• Possible first replicators– Protein first world– RNA world– Lipid world– Metabolism first





Metabolism Recapitulates Biogenesis

– Central Metabolic cycle (A)• Basic replication

• Pathway for fatty acid production

– Amino acid production (B)• Synthesis involving nitrogen

– Basis for protein structure (C)• Synthesis involving sulfur

– Basis for nucleic acid and coenzymes (D)• Synthesis involving ring closure



Two Ways to Model the Essentials• Bottom-Up

(Modification by co-option)

• Top-Down (Interoperating components)

AB

COH

N

S

CD

A B

C D

COH

N

S



Irreduceable Complexity• What are the

chances that all the components of a simple device come together in a functional manner?

Critique of IC

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dQJzj2DMrA

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_HVrjKcvrU





Complexification of Cells• Autotrophs

– Photoautotrophs– Lithautotrophs

• Thermophilic autotrophic bacteria

• Heterotrophs– Need environmental organic compounds

• Prokaryotes– Circular DNA



Beginning of Eukaryotes• Endosymbiosis

Theory– Lynn Margulis

• Presence of Organelles– Mitochondria

– Chloroplasts

• Nucleus– Contain genetic

material



Additional Changes

• Animals vs. Plants– Cell membrane vs. cell wall– Plastids

• Origin of Sex– 2 fold cost over parthenogenesis– DNA repair mechanism– Mitosis vs. Meiosis



Common Ancestry



Molecular Ancester• DNA Mutation

– Molecular Phylogeny– Molecular Clock

• Prediction– Common animal 0.9 - 1.0 billion YBP

• Problem– Different trees for different indicators– Lateral Gene Transfer



Cambrian Explosion



Discontinuity

Actual

Punctuated Equilibrium

Darwinian Evolution

Paper 3 – Synthetic Biology• Craig Venter

– Bacteria Genome Press Release (Handout)

– Web Site – http://www.jcvi.org/cms/home/

• Synthetic Biology– Web Site - http://syntheticbiology.org/

– Bio-Bricks - http://biobricks.org/

– iGEM Competition - http://www.igem.org/Main_Page

• Write an essay analyzing the benefit of synthetic biology and its value to the creationist community. (No false praise)

– Include 3 developments in this area with references to support your claims.

– 5 points are reserved for clarity and significance of your analysis.



Documents

Steven Gollmer Cedarville University Complex Life: Page 1 HON-3230 Chance, Emergence or Design Origin of Complex Life