• Question: What can you conclude about DNA and RNA from the fact that they are like a cell's "brain?"

    Asked by Andrea to Eoin, Ester, Ildiko, Natasha, Paul, Tom on 6 Nov 2017.
    • Photo: Ester Gil Vazquez

      Ester Gil Vazquez answered on 6 Nov 2017:

      I guess you can think about DNA as the cells “brain” because 1) It ultimately directs what is going on in the cell at any time: it contain the information and the annotations that the cell uses to produce all its components 2) it can sense what is going on around and is modified consequently, which results in changes in the structure of the DNA (same as happens in the brain – it is plastic). However, I would not include the RNA in any of this. The RNA could be compared with the nerves since it is the transmitter of the information that comes out of the “brain” (DNA), although in this case the information would only go in one direction (from DNA –> RNA and not vice versa).

    • Photo: Paul McKeegan

      Paul McKeegan answered on 7 Nov 2017:

      Great explanation Ester!

      I think that comparing the cell’s nucleus to the brain is useful, but the disadvantage is it gets a bit misleading once you start to get a deeper understanding, as you clearly are by asking about DNA and RNA! Calling it ‘the brain’ suggests a level of planning and control which I don’t think are evidenced by the data. I prefer to think of the DNA as the library, full of instructions, which can be annotated and labelled – make this, don’t bother with this one etc. But the control and regulation come from the other organelles in the cell and responding to signals from other cells and the external environment. The mitochondria are the brainboxes to me as they provide the fuel and respond to stress and changes in nutrients etc.

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