Emergence and the human genome

Peer reviewedThe (human) genome functions as an open system within human nutritional, economic, cultural, intellectual and emotional contexts. Of profound importance is the extent of free will that emerged with our cognitive and consciousness traits. We have been instrumental in creating particular environments and semiotics according to which we live and with which our genes are expressed. The possibility exists that an information continuum between genes, brain and environment may follow quantum rules and exhibit correlated properties that result in coordinated behaviour (entanglement), even without signal transfer or interaction. With the unprecedented technological advances made during the last century, for the first time a biological organism can, in theory, purposefully design its own future evolution. This is likely to remain limited by ultimate unpredictability due to emergent novelties arising during the process. The effect(s) of a strong human strategic guiding influence, however, implies a tremendous moral responsibility to help shape future outcomes which will enhance the continued existence of quality Life on Earth. How are we doing so far, and how can we exploit knowledge of the possible structural basis of genomic memory and the principles linked with self organisation and emergence to avoid recurrence of outcomes previously shown to have had negative consequences for Life. Can we feed back crucial brain memories to the germline contrary to prevailing dogma, and does this contribute to a compound interest situation not only of intellectual ability but also of a hereditary basis for augmenting ("negative", Machiavellian type) moral behaviour previously found to be successful for pure biological survival?Research Institute for Theology and Religio

Nucleus-targeted Dmp1 transgene fails to rescue dental defects in Dmp1 null mice

Dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1) is essential to odontogenesis. Its mutations in human subjects lead to dental problems such as dental deformities, hypomineralization and periodontal impairment. Primarily, DMP1 is considered as an extracellular matrix protein that promotes hydroxyapatite formation and activates intracellular signaling pathway via interacting with αvβ3 integrin. Recent in vitro studies suggested that DMP1 might also act as a transcription factor. In this study, we examined whether full-length DMP1 could function as a transcription factor in the nucleus and regulate odontogenesis in vivo. We first demonstrated that a patient with the DMP1 M1V mutation, which presumably causes a loss of the secretory DMP1 but does not affect the nuclear translocation of DMP1, shows a typical rachitic tooth defect. Furthermore, we generated transgenic mice expressing (NLS)DMP1, in which the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) entry signal sequence of DMP1 was replaced by a nuclear localization signal (NLS) sequence, under the control of a 3.6 kb rat type I collagen promoter plus a 1.6 kb intron 1. We then crossbred the (NLS)DMP1 transgenic mice with Dmp1 null mice to express the (NLS)DMP1 in Dmp1-deficient genetic background. Although immunohistochemistry demonstrated that (NLS)DMP1 was localized in the nuclei of the preodontoblasts and odontoblasts, the histological, morphological and biochemical analyses showed that it failed to rescue the dental and periodontal defects as well as the delayed tooth eruption in Dmp1 null mice. These data suggest that the full-length DMP1 plays no apparent role in the nucleus during odontogenesis

Oxygen Binding to Cobalt and Iron Phthalocyanines As Determined from in Situ X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy

Cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) and iron phthalocyanine (FePc) are possible oxygen reduction catalysts in fuel cells, but the exact functioning and deactivation of these catalysts is unknown. The electronic structure of the CoPc and FePc has been studied in situ under hydrogen and oxygen atmospheres by a combination of ambient-pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The results show that when oxygen is introduced, the iron changes oxidation state while the cobalt does not. The data show that oxygen binds in an end-on configuration in CoPc, while for FePc side-on binding is most likely