The world of genetics has long been seen as a blueprint for life, with genes acting as the hard-and-fast cogs in the machine of existence. However, a new book titled “How Life Works: A User’s Guide to the New Biology” challenges this notion, arguing that the reality of genes is far more complex and beautiful than previously thought.
Written by British science writer and author Phillip Ball, the book delves into the enigmatic and chaotic nature of genetics. Ball asserts that the modern conception of genes as straightforward components of life does not align with what geneticists have discovered over the years. Life, he argues, is a messy mystery, and genes are its enigmatic and unpredictable instruments.
In a review of the book published in the prestigious journal Nature, renowned British biologist Denis Noble quotes Ball as saying that viewing life as a machine is a “lazy metaphor.” Instead, both writers emphasize the fuzziness and imprecision inherent in the way genes function. Scientists now believe that up to 70 percent of protein domains, the strings of amino acids on DNA, could be disordered. This means that they act in diverse and surprising ways that even expert scientists struggle to comprehend.
Ball insists that this disordering makes proteins versatile communicators but also makes them difficult to pin down within the black-and-white thinking of genetics as a blueprint for life. To illustrate this point, Noble highlights the case of schizophrenia. Nearly 300 genes indicate a risk for this mental illness, challenging the simplistic notion of genetic risk. Factors such as maternal diet and exposure to environmental pollutants also play a significant role in gene expression, further blurring the lines between nature and nurture.
Both Ball and Noble argue that perceptions of biology do not need radical shifts. Instead, they believe that scientists should help the public understand that genes are not simply one thing or another but ever-changing components that contribute to the fascinating complexity of life. As Ball states, “we are at the beginning of a profound rethinking of how life works.”
This new perspective on genes and their role in life challenges long-held beliefs and opens up exciting possibilities for future research. The intricate and unpredictable nature of genetics adds a layer of beauty and mystery to our understanding of life. As scientists continue to unravel the complexities of genes, we can look forward to a deeper appreciation of the fascinating world within our DNA.