Transcript Building Blocks of Life

Fundamentals of Biology:
Building Blocks, Challenges,
and Evolution
http://web.mit.edu/esgbio/www/lm/sugars/cellulose.GIF
http://community.webshots.com/photo/1098385609029448148TPhhYc
Building Blocks of Life:
Important Molecules
 Water (H2O)
 Gases (O2, CO2)
 Nutrients
 Nitrate (NO3-), nitrite (NO2-),
ammonia (NH4+)
 Phosphate (PO4-3)
 Silica (SiO2)
 Iron (Fe), and other trace metals
Important Molecules
 Carbohydrates (C, H, O)
 sugars, starches – energy
 cellulose, chitin - structure
 Lipids (C, H, O, some P)
 fats, oils, waxes – energy, buoyancy,
insulation
 structural – cell membranes
 hormones – messengers
http://web.mit.edu/esgbio/www/lm/sugars/cellulose.GIF
Important Molecules
 Proteins (C, H, O, N, some S)
 amino acids
 enzymes – metabolism
 hormones – messengers
 hemoglobin – oxygen transportation
 structural – hair, nails, feathers, skin,
muscle
http://www.3dchem.com/imagesofmolecules/aspartic-acid.jpg
http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/graphics/images/2008/04-08Hemoglobin.jpg
http://www.rsc.org/images/FEATURE-NOBEL-350_tcm18-136787.jpg
Important Molecules
 Nucleic acids (C, H, O, N, P)
 nucleotides – genetic
information
 DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
– chromosomes, genes
 RNA (ribonucleic acid) –
translate to proteins
 ATP (adenosine
triphosphate) – store and
transfer energy
http://www.ericharshbarger.org/lego/images/dna/helix_0.jpg
From Atoms to Ecosystems
From Atoms to Ecosystems
molecules → cell
(organism)
molecules → organelles
→ cell (organism)
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/earth/Life/images/celltypes.gif
cells → tissues → organism
cells → tissues → organs →
organ systems → organism
From Atoms to Ecosystems
organism → population → community → ecosystem
http://community.webshots.com/photo/1098385609029448148TPhhYc
Ecosystems and Adaptations
 Adaptation:
 The adjustment or changes in
behavior, physiology, and structure
of an organism to become more
suited to an environment.
 A characteristic
(http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Adaptation)
of an organism that
makes it fit for its environment or
for its particular way of life.
(McGraw-Hill Concise Encyclopedia of Bioscience. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.)
Challenges of Life in the Ocean
- Homeostasis
 Organisms deal with
challenges that are unique
to marine environment
 Must maintain suitable
conditions inside their body,
regardless of the external
conditions
Challenges of Life in the Ocean
- Temperature
 Dictates where organisms live
 Affects how organisms metabolize
 Physiologically adapted to live within a
certain temperature range
USFWS
NOAA
Challenges of Life in the Ocean
- Temperature
Challenges of Life in the Ocean
- Temperature
 Ectotherms
 “Cold-blooded”, metabolic heat lost
 Cannot regulate internal temperature,
so same temperature as environment
(poikilotherms)
 Most marine animals (invertebrates,
most fish, most reptiles)
NOAA
http://www.dnr.sc.gov/marine/sertc/gallery.htm
http://www.njscuba.net/images-uw/other/bay_anchovy.jpg
Challenges of Life in the Ocean
- Temperature
 Endotherms
 “Warm-blooded”, metabolic heat
retained (fat, feathers for insulation)
 Can regulate internal temperature,
regardless of external environment
(homeotherms)
 Mammals, birds
Challenges of Life in the Ocean
- Temperature
 Endotherms
 Some large fish and
turtles are endotherms,
but not homeotherms
 Metabolic heat retained,
so warmer than
surroundings, but internal
temperature is relative,
not set
http://www.mbayaq.org/efc/living_species/organism_images/lsl_open_m163.jpg
http://getinvolved.conservation.org/images/content/pagebuilder/10733.jpg
Challenges of Life in the Ocean
- Salinity
 Diffusion – molecules move from high
concentrations to low until equal
 Cell membranes are selectively
permeable to different substances
 Osmosis – passive diffusion of water
across membranes
 Active transport – expend energy to
work against diffusion
Challenges of Life in the Ocean
- Salinity
Osmoconformers – do not regulate
Challenges of Life in the Ocean
- Salinity
Osmoregulators
Challenges of Life in the Ocean
- Salinity
Osmoregulators
Hawksbill turtles
have glands
(near eyes) to
excrete excess
salt
Evolution
 The gradual change in the genetic makeup
of species and populations
 The diversity of organisms today
is the result of billions of
years of evolution
http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~dmellor/Site/Blog/53672D17-7066-49D8-AC2B-B37F99DF76F7_files/Evolution-diagram_op_800x467.jpg
Evolution
 Theory of evolution – not a hypothesis,
but a widely accepted scientific concept
 Evidence exists from the past (fossils)
 Evolution observed within our lifetime
(bacteria, plants, worms, insects)
http://www.phyletisches-museum.uni-jena.de/images/archaeopteryx_berlin_1864.jpg
Evolution
 Adaptation and natural selection –
individuals best adapted to their
environment survive and produce offspring
 Changes and challenges – adapt or
become extinct
http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/gctext/Inquiries/Inquiries%20in%20Global%20Change_files/image096.jpg
Phylogenetics
 Reconstructs evolution by grouping
organisms by their relatedness
 Fossil record (incomplete)
 Body structure
 Reproduction and behavior
 Embryology and larval development
 Genetics (DNA, RNA)
Phylogenetics
Carl Woese
using ribosomal RNA sequence
http://nai.arc.nasa.gov/library/images/news_articles/big_274_3.jpg
Phylogenetics
Classification of Organisms
Kingdom
Classification of Organisms
sub-, super-, infra-categories, too:
- subclass Placentalia (placentals)
- suborder Odontoceti (toothed whales)
Classification of Organisms
 Species – binomial nomenclature (Linnaeus)
Genus species
 Use instead of common names to avoid
confusion: “Dolphin”
 Coryphaena hippurus – Mahi mahi fish
 Tursiops truncatus – Flipper
http://www.coralreefnetwork.com/stender/marine/mammals/Bottlenose%20Dolphin.jpg
http://www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/image/15886/fad-underwater-dolphinfish.jpg
Classification of Organisms
 Species – “populations of organisms that
have common characteristics and can
successfully breed with each other”
Acropora palmata
Acropora cervicornis
http://www.floridamarine.org/images/gallery/
Classification of Organisms
 One species or three?
Montastraea annularis
Montastraea faveolata
http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/PHAGE/images/Montastraea%20franksi-closeup_JPG.jpg
Montastraea franksi
http://www.uiowa.edu/~geology/people/faculty/budd/corals/panama.html