Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Watson's Definition
The Central Dogma of Molecular Biology, as originally defined by James Watson, is deceptively
simple: DNA defines the synthesis of protein by way of an RNA intermediary. Documenting,
controlling, and modifying this process, which is illustrated from a high-level structural perspective in
Figure 1-5
, is the focus of bioinformatics. It's also the basis for genetic engineering, mapping the
human genome, and the diagnosis and treatment of genetic diseases. For example, genetic
engineering involves modifying the process so that new proteins are synthesized; these new proteins
in turn form the basis of everything from new drugs to new types of plants and animals.
Figure 1-5. The Central Dogma of Molecular Biology. DNA is transcribed to
messenger RNA in the cell nucleus, which is in turn translated to protein in
the cytoplasm. The Central Dogma, shown here from a structural
perspective, can also be depicted from an information flow perspective (see
Figure 1-9
).
