5 ms·

>Frameshifting almost never happens in our cells. It would lead to dysfunctional cellular proteins; however, certain viruses, such as coronaviruses and HIV, dep

>Frameshifting almost never happens in our cells. It would lead to dysfunctional cellular proteins; however, certain viruses, such as coronaviruses and HIV, depend on a frameshifting event to regulate levels of viral proteins. For example, SARS- CoV-2 - the virus that causes COVID- 19 - is critically dependent on frameshifting promoted by an unusual and intricate fold in the viral RNA. God is a hacker.

monkeycantype 5y ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viral_evolution#:~:text=Bubble%20theory https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viral_evolution#:~:text=Bubble... you might find this interesting. bubble theory imagines that interacting molecules, let's call them 'scripts', formed simple self replicating metabolisms inside the cavities of hydrothermal vents. At a script level there are two successful strategies: participate in a co-operative network or exploit a co-operative network to self replicate you. At a community level, excluding non-contributors is beneficial and this pre dates and perhaps leads to the development of cell membrane. In this view cells and viruses co-evolve from the same origin by pursuing different strategies. It's game theory and tragedy of the commons from day one. Piast, Radosław W. ‘Shannon’s Information, Bernal’s Biopoiesis and Bernoulli Distribution as Pillars for Building a Definition of Life’. Journal of Theoretical Biology 470 (7 June 2019): 101–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtbi.2019.03.009 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtbi.2019.03.009. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022519319301109 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002251931...
- tryonenow 5y ago
  Emergence is fascinating. Life is arguably the most striking example in the known universe. In this case I'm sure the messy nature of exploitation accelerated (or even enabled) evolution of more complex structures. Consider it a primitive archetype for an abusive but also ultimately symbiotic relationship.
webwielder2 5y ago
Not very sporting to target your own exploits.
- platz 5y ago
  Hackers aren't athletes
gjm11 5y ago
Or you might blame SARS-CoV-2 and HIV-1 on the other guy.
monkeycantype 5y ago
Your reply got flagged, I’m curious whether that was auto or human. I was talking with my daughter last night about ambiguity in speech and interpretation last night, and about the space of true things well intentioned people avoid, because bad faith actors with an unspoken partisan agenda use that space as area of tenuous ambiguity into which they implausibly retreat when challenged on the hideous ideas they are trying to ship. I read your comment as a reflection in the hideous cruelty of life, anyone studying biology or medicine beyond high school confronts the cold indifferent ugliness of nature, and the enormity and absurdity of the task we have to build a kind compassionate society on this substrate. But once you factor in ambiguity, your comment keyword matches the crypto-misogyny leading comments of trolls claiming to know something about social Darwinism. Perhaps others read your comment in that light. On the whole I enjoy how this site is moderated, I think it’s close to optimum, but general optimization means specifics are sacrificed, and this is one where I would like to have participated in a quite backstage conversation to understand the perspective of the participants
- tryonenow 5y ago
  I'm completely surprised by the negative reaction to my comment. I think people are misinterpreting my use of the word hacker, and I don't even mean to imply that God exists - only that the universe is intricately clever and whether by intent or by emergence this frameshift exploit on which some viruses rely for reproduction is an absolutely brilliant trick. My comment was made in reverence. Or perhaps it's the implication of intelligent design that upset the downvoters/flaggers? >I read your comment as a reflection in the hideous cruelty of life, anyone studying biology or medicine beyond high school confronts the cold indifferent ugliness of nature Perhaps my comment came off callously then. I made no value judgement, it was only the design that I meant to describe. Nuclear weapons are terrible things, but they are still technical works of art.

monkeycantype 5y ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viral_evolution#:~:text=Bubble%20theory https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viral_evolution#:~:text=Bubble... you might find this interesting. bubble theory imagines that interacting molecules, let's call them 'scripts', formed simple self replicating metabolisms inside the cavities of hydrothermal vents. At a script level there are two successful strategies: participate in a co-operative network or exploit a co-operative network to self replicate you. At a community level, excluding non-contributors is beneficial and this pre dates and perhaps leads to the development of cell membrane. In this view cells and viruses co-evolve from the same origin by pursuing different strategies. It's game theory and tragedy of the commons from day one. Piast, Radosław W. ‘Shannon’s Information, Bernal’s Biopoiesis and Bernoulli Distribution as Pillars for Building a Definition of Life’. Journal of Theoretical Biology 470 (7 June 2019): 101–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtbi.2019.03.009 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtbi.2019.03.009. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022519319301109 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002251931...

tryonenow 5y ago
Emergence is fascinating. Life is arguably the most striking example in the known universe. In this case I'm sure the messy nature of exploitation accelerated (or even enabled) evolution of more complex structures. Consider it a primitive archetype for an abusive but also ultimately symbiotic relationship.

webwielder2 5y ago

Not very sporting to target your own exploits.

platz 5y ago
Hackers aren't athletes

gjm11 5y ago

Or you might blame SARS-CoV-2 and HIV-1 on the other guy.

monkeycantype 5y ago

Your reply got flagged, I’m curious whether that was auto or human. I was talking with my daughter last night about ambiguity in speech and interpretation last night, and about the space of true things well intentioned people avoid, because bad faith actors with an unspoken partisan agenda use that space as area of tenuous ambiguity into which they implausibly retreat when challenged on the hideous ideas they are trying to ship. I read your comment as a reflection in the hideous cruelty of life, anyone studying biology or medicine beyond high school confronts the cold indifferent ugliness of nature, and the enormity and absurdity of the task we have to build a kind compassionate society on this substrate. But once you factor in ambiguity, your comment keyword matches the crypto-misogyny leading comments of trolls claiming to know something about social Darwinism. Perhaps others read your comment in that light. On the whole I enjoy how this site is moderated, I think it’s close to optimum, but general optimization means specifics are sacrificed, and this is one where I would like to have participated in a quite backstage conversation to understand the perspective of the participants

tryonenow 5y ago
I'm completely surprised by the negative reaction to my comment. I think people are misinterpreting my use of the word hacker, and I don't even mean to imply that God exists - only that the universe is intricately clever and whether by intent or by emergence this frameshift exploit on which some viruses rely for reproduction is an absolutely brilliant trick. My comment was made in reverence. Or perhaps it's the implication of intelligent design that upset the downvoters/flaggers? >I read your comment as a reflection in the hideous cruelty of life, anyone studying biology or medicine beyond high school confronts the cold indifferent ugliness of nature Perhaps my comment came off callously then. I made no value judgement, it was only the design that I meant to describe. Nuclear weapons are terrible things, but they are still technical works of art.