Re: Spliceosomal introns


"Perplexed in Peoria" <jimmenegay@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:dt86sc$2u2g$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Those interested in possible functions for at least some junk
and those interested in alternative splicing will probably
find much of interest here. Available free online with
registration. I, unfortunately, haven't read it yet, since
Nature has apparently recently changed their cookie policy to
one that I don't like.

Tomorrow I will go to the university library and see if I can read the
article. (I have the same cookie policy objections you have.)

Before I tell you the direction my questions are evolving, let me explain a
concept relating to switches in a mechanically constructed logic circuit.
(The same principles apply to electronic logic circuits, but I'll start with
a mechanical model and go there later.)

The concept, as utilized in an electro-mechanical logic circuit, is "spring
loaded." A switch can be designed alternatively to either be spring loaded
to the on position or spring loaded to the off position.
On an automobile door, a *spring loaded to on" switch is used. Closing the
door moves the plunger to the off position which, currentwise, means that
the current is open across the terminals and no current can pass through
that point and through the overhead cabin light when the door is closed. A
"spring loaded to on" position would do the opposite. It would turn the
light on when the door is closed and off when the door is open.

Electronic circuits accomplish the same thing without requiring mechanical
plungers or springs.

Biological switching circuits are electro-chemical. That is..., a routing
of an impulse generated by a stimulus acting on a sensory neuron will result
in a cascade of incremental steps, some of which are purely
electro-magnetic, and some of which are purely chemical, or
electro-chemical. For example, an electro-magnetic impulse can cause ions
to move through a channel that routes the electro-magnetic impulse along one
route within a neuron cell when a certain chemical scenario is one way
(lower than a given pivotal Ph, for example) or route the impulse along a
different path if a different scenario is encountered (a ph higher than the
pivotal level, for example). (I am rusty on details of this, but will get
on top of them again soon.)

One thing I know about an electro-magnetic current being passed through a
brine-water solution is that the current passes through quickly at first and
then the liquid becomes ionized and the current is resisted. (If wires from
a DC voltage source are passed through, with an ohm meter in the circuit,
the needle will begin near zero and move upward for a second, or so.)
Obviously, if it is true that "signals" passing along a nerve in a human
body go as fast as they do, the signal pulses do not simply remain steady,
thus
becoming resisted (even as much as we would like them to when friction of a
dentist drill heats it up).
I do not know how this all works, but am going to do some research (reading
only) on it.

Another thing I know about a current passing through brine-water is that
electrolytes are formed. In an industrial usage, these electrolytes can be
problematical. I am not sure whether they are problematical in an
electronic circuit, but will check this out. Vaguely I do know this much
already, however... that electrolytic changes are UTILIZED in neurological
circuits, and other cellular bio-electro-chemical processes. While I don't
know any details at this time, I shall want to check out what is know about
that.

So far as I can tell, a living human body's cells function AND COMMUNICATE
among themselves as a highly intricate and complex electro-chemical basis,
with each specialized cell operating differently from cells of other
specializations and with primordial cells (are these all "stem cells" or are
there other kinds of primordial cells... this is something I want to know
more about.

Not until I know a lot of these kinds of details (to the extent there is any
data accessible to me on them) I will not be able to make any sense of how
specific genes play a role in all this, or to what extent alternative
splicings are a result of and/or are path determiners for impulses. My
guess, as of now, is that they do BOTH.

When human babies are born with "true" tails (as best I understand up to
now) this is not because they inherited genes for making tails (assuming I
understand this correctly now) but because genes that are in babies (many,
most or all...? I must check this out) normally, and which normally are (in
effect) spring loaded to the "off" position, get switched "on." This
atavistic expression is very, very rare. But I will find out what I can
about it.

Obviously it is hard for me to discuss this in a sensible way, because there
are so many details I need to pin down before I can even seek answers to the
main questions I have:

The MAIN questions I have surround not whether germline cells are
communicated with by somatic cells (adjacent, neuronal...?) or by way of
enzymes in the blood, or by way of lymphatic or other routes...
They HAVE to be triggered to degress, or the kitten eye taping experiment
would not turn out as it does. Also, if the germline cells were not
communicated with in cave creatures and burrowing creatures that live in
dark environments, those creatures would not end up blind.

The question for me, then, is not WHETHER germline cells "detect and
respond" to stimuli and also ABSENCE of stimuli from the external
environment, but by what routes and what mechanisms.

It is very possible that NOBODY knows, yet. However, if nobody does, then
that is something that is going to change in the current century.

Meantime, I will see what I can find out and post you when and as I get any
closer to any details that might help to shed light on these issues...


g




.

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