Genetics​—Has It Uncovered the Secret of Life?

“WE HAVE discovered the secret of life!” declared scientist Francis Crick to a group of colleagues at Cambridge University in 1953. He and his co-worker James Watson had done a work that won them high acclaim in the scientific world. Had they indeed discovered the secret of life? Over what, actually, was their excitement?

They had constructed a model to explain how a molecule of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) functions in its directing of body building. Their model was a “staircase” or ladderlike structure in the form of a double helix or spiral. Schematically, it represented the functioning of the DNA molecule as a basic factor directing the interaction of other chemicals in the cells of living things. This DNA molecule is thought to play the major part in the transmission of hereditary characteristics from parent to offspring.

The DNA is located principally in the nucleus of the cell. Along its ladderlike structure the DNA contains the “genes.” A gene is a part or section of the DNA molecule that has to do with directing the building of a specific hereditary characteristic, such as the color of the skin or of the eyes, shape of a facial feature, a personality trait, and so forth.

In the model built by Watson and Crick, the DNA molecule is represented as being made up of two chemical strands wrapped in helical fashion around each other. Between the two strands or “banisters” of the “staircase” or “ladder” are “steps” or “rungs.” Each “rung” is composed of two chemicals that complement each other. These chemicals are joined in the middle of the “rungs” by a weak hydrogen bond. One strand is therefore a mirror image of the other.

How DNA Directs the Building of Body Parts

Let us assume that in the body of a living thing it becomes necessary to build a molecule of protein (an essential building block). What takes place? First, the body (of animal or plant) in some way communicates to one of the body’s cells its need for a specific protein. In response to the call, the proper section of the cell’s DNA “ladder” “unzips” or breaks apart down the middle of its “rungs.” One half of the ladderlike part separates from the other half like an opened zipper, so that this section (and only this section) of the long DNA molecule is now like a ladder sawed in two down the middle.

This condition is only temporary, for right away the “half-rungs” of one strand begin to attract to themselves their complementary chemicals from surrounding material in the nucleus. By this means they “rebuild” other halves to the “rungs,” thus forming a new strand called “messenger RNA” (ribonucleic acid). It is so named because it must leave the cell nucleus to carry the pattern of the DNA for making the proper protein.

So the “messenger RNA” pulls away, and the two original DNA strands in the nucleus unite again as before, ready to send out more “messenger RNA” when needed later. The RNA strand goes outside the nucleus, where a body or particle in the cell called a “ribosome” fastens to the strand and seems to “read” it, comparable to a tape recorder playing back words recorded on tape. The proper chemicals are then supplied to match the “half-rungs” on the “messenger RNA.”

What has been accomplished up to this point? The “messenger RNA” has actually carried the message or code from the DNA molecule so that it could be “read” by the ribosome, and chemicals supplied exactly and in the same arrangement as that in the original DNA. Accordingly, with the help of another kind of RNA called “transfer RNA” the “messenger RNA” assembles chemicals called “amino acids” to make the specific protein called for. The protein is then released from the ribosome and goes to do its work as a building block.

In this intricate way a protein molecule that is of DNA-directed chemical composition is synthesized to be used in a part of the living creature’s body. By another comparison, the process can be likened to a doctor (DNA) in his office (the cell nucleus) writing a prescription and sending it by messenger (“messenger RNA”). When the pharmacist (the ribosome) reads it, he takes the prescribed chemicals from his shelf and puts them together as the prescription directs. The medicine (like the protein) thus compounded is used for certain purposes in the patient’s body.

Such things the scientists have learned about these minute things, some of which cannot be seen even under a microscope. Their discovery is an evidence of the amazing ability and capacity of man’s mind. But do you believe that these scientific men have actually discovered “the secret of life”?

Some Unanswered Questions

Before we let ourselves be overawed by the intelligence and research of such men, let us ask a few questions to see whether life’s secrets are fully uncovered:

Exactly how does the body communicate its need to the cell, and how does it trigger part of the DNA molecule to “unzip” at just the right place and later to go back together? What prevents the rest of the DNA helix from “unzipping”? The answer to this latter question might explain the unsolved problem of why, though each body cell has the same chromosomes, only certain parts of them seem to operate in the different cells.

Also, how did not only the right chemicals, but also all the right mechanisms, such as the ribosomes, come to be in the cell for the making of a new strand of RNA? How does the ribosome “read” the RNA and exactly how are just the right chemicals provided at the right places to reproduce the DNA’s pattern and to make the proper protein?

How is the information encoded on DNA transferred to cell enzymes that then control the growth of new cells? This, says Dr. Howard H. Pattee of Stanford University, is the area still presenting the most serious problems to biologists. He says that the simple models (such as Watson and Crick devised) cannot explain the speed and reliability of information transfer. A much deeper study of matter at the submolecular level is yet necessary.

And finally, we encounter the biggest question of all: How did such complex substances, and life itself, get there to begin with? For these questions scientists have no answer, only theories.

The Living Cell Not Originated by Unintelligent Forces

There is another matter that the thoughtful person will consider before giving the science of genetics the credit for having in its grasp the secret of creation, or even, as some would have us believe, the possession of creative power. It is thought that each “gene” (a part of the DNA molecule) is made up of a chain of some 1,000 “nucleotides” (each nucleotide, containing many atoms, is half of a “rung” on the DNA “ladder”). If just one gene is defective, it can kill the cell’s ability to duplicate itself. Or, when the cell divides, the newly formed cell will be defective. How would cell growth or division ever take place if the thousands of parts making up only one gene had to come together by accident, chance or “blind force” as the evolution theory would require? How much less chance of this when there are said to be tens of thousands of genes in the DNA in each chromosome of a human cell!

Even in the simplest forms of life, the DNA chain is still extremely complex. For example, after twenty years of research, biologists have mapped out only about one third of the genes along the DNA spiral in the “elementary” intestinal bacterium known as Escherichia coli.

If man with his intelligence takes twenty years just to map the composition of a few genes, how would blind forces ever gather the needed material, put it together and make it operate in this complex way? If its DNA chain was only, say, three-quarters or nine-tenths complete, not even a one-celled animal could come to life. No, the creature had to appear whole, all together, at once, or not at all. This requires creation and a Mastermind.

Give Praise to Whom It Belongs

All these things illustrate the point that we should not be too ready to give men praise beyond what they deserve. We should use good sense and balance. When observing the extremely intricate, even marvelous makeup and operation of living cells, do we see “blind forces” operating? Or do we see the intelligence of an invisible Super Architect, who gave man the brains to search into and understand some of the things of His creation and the laws governing them?​—Rom. 1:20.

The Bible tells us that there is one Creator. This is Jehovah God. Of him those whom the Bible describes as “elders” in heaven, of far greater power and insight into earthly creation than men, declare: “You are worthy, Jehovah, even our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power, because you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created.”​—Rev. 4:11.

King Solomon, endowed by God with inspired wisdom, expressed the proper viewpoint about the boasts and forecasts of men who make extravagant statements and claims beyond what is factual. He wrote: “I saw all the work of the true God, how mankind are not able to find out the work that has been done under the sun; however much mankind keep working hard to seek, yet they do not find out. And even if they should say they are wise enough to know, they would be unable to find out.”​—Eccl. 8:17.

[Chart on page 5]

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“Gene” or Section of DNA Molecule

DNA strands pull apart DNA strands reunite

Messenger RNA separates