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/*DNAunion*/ Probably the most analogous component of a computer system is a secondary storage device, such as a hard drive, CD-ROM drive, etc...Copying of DNA information (and loosely, the subsequent tranporting of it to where it can be used) is trascription. This is analogous to retrieving information from a hard drive and storing it in main memory.
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Percipient: I think you're forgetting that machine instructions in memory are copied to the processor where they are executed.
/*DNAunion*/ Nope. Having a 4-year degree in CIS I am well aware of that.
But YOU seem to have forgotten about the same RNA machinery you reference. Otherwise, you would have seen more deeply into the analogy and realized your objection was wrong.
First, let’s look at this quote and note how good my analogy between DNA and secondary storage is.
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6. Secondary storage unit. This is the long-term, high-capacity warehousing section of the computer. Programs or data not actively being used by the other units normally are placed on secondary storage devices (such as disks) until they are again needed, possibly hours, days, months, or even years later. (Dietel & Dietel, C++: How to Program: Fourth Edition, Prentice Hall, 2003, p6)
/*DNAunion*/ One could almost translate that directly into molecular biology (DNA is the long-term, high-capacity, information warehousing component of a cell, where information is read as needed by other components of the cell, etc.).
So back to my analogy, with another step added (the one that Percipient was incapable of determining).
(1) Secondary storage devices store a computer’s information as symbol sequences but are not what interpret that information
(2) The information stored in the secondary storage devices is read into main memory as needed
(3) The binary sequences in main memory are moved into the CPU where they are interpreted/processed
(1) The cell’s DNA stores information as symbol sequences but is not what interprets that information
(2) The information stored in DNA is read into mRNA (and other RNAs) as needed
(3) The nucleotide sequences in the mRNA are moved to the ribosome where they are interpreted/processed
Of course, although cells and computers share many similarities they also have many differences. You’re not likely going to find any analogy that fits 100% accurately and covers 100% of both systems. As far as this one goes, it’s about as good as one can be.
[This message has been edited by DNAunion, 11-02-2003]