Erwin Schroedinger, Francis Crick and epigenetic stability
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Schroedinger's book 'What is Life?' is widely credited for having played a crucial role in development of molecular and cellular biology. My essay revisits the issues raised by this book from the modern perspective of epigenetics and systems biolog...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2008-04-01
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| Series: | Biology Direct |
| Online Access: | http://www.biology-direct.com/content/3/1/15 |
| Summary: | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Schroedinger's book 'What is Life?' is widely credited for having played a crucial role in development of molecular and cellular biology. My essay revisits the issues raised by this book from the modern perspective of epigenetics and systems biology. I contrast two classes of potential mechanisms of epigenetic stability: 'epigenetic templating' and 'systems biology' approaches, and consider them from the point of view expressed by Schroedinger. I also discuss how quantum entanglement, a nonclassical feature of quantum mechanics, can help to address the 'problem of small numbers' that led Schroedinger to promote the idea of a molecular code-script for explaining the stability of biological order.</p> |
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| ISSN: | 1745-6150 |