Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
(a)
(b)
(c)
Assembly
Ribotype
Interpretant
Construction
Figure 11
Triadic relationships in (a) metabolism-construction-assembly (M, C, A)
systems, (b) Barbieri's genotype-phenotype-ribotype triad of ontologically distinct
types, and (c) the logical distinctions between sign vehicle, object and interpretant in
biosemiotics.
that the machinery for protein synthesis (ribosomes, associated enzymes, tRNA
adaptors) forms a logically distinct ontological type besides the phenotype and
genotype. As suggested by Fig. 11, this idea fits perfectly with both (M, C, A)-
systems and the triadic logic of biosemiotics as discussed by, for example,
Hoffmeyer (1996).
7. CONCLUSION
The model of self-fabrication developed above is at this stage rather simple,
informal and certainly not yet mathematically rigourous. However, a formal,
mathematical exposition of the theory has been worked out and will be presented
elsewhere. I have concentrated solely on the functional organisation of processes
that make self-fabrication possible, and have purposefully ignored important
aspects such as energy requirements, control and regulation, self-bounding, and
communication with the environment to name but a few.
In conclusion, I therefore argue for an epistemology for systems biology that
is essentially relational and views everything that happens inside a living cell
in the context of a functional organisation that makes self-fabrication possible.
Working out all the implications this has for how we study, how we model and
how we attempt to manipulate the cell is one of the tasks that systems biology
must tackle if we want to lay claim to a deep understanding of life as we know it.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This project was funded by the Ernest Oppenheimer Foundation in the form
of the Harry Oppenheimer Fellowship Award and by the National Research
Foundation of South Africa.
