Erwin Schroedinger, Francis Crick and epigenetic stability
General Physics
2008-05-30 v2 Molecular Networks
Abstract
Schroedinger's book 'What is Life?' is widely credited for having played a crucial role in development of molecular and cellular biology. My essay revisits the issues raised by this book from the modern perspective of epigenetics and systems biology. I contrast two classes of potential mechanisms of epigenetic stability: 'epigenetic templating' and 'systems biology' approaches, and consider them from the point of view expressed by Schroedinger. I also discuss how quantum entanglement, a nonclassical feature of quantum mechanics, can help to address the 'problem of small numbers' that lead Schroedinger to promote the idea of molecular code-script for explanation of stability of biological order.
Cite
@article{arxiv.0704.3957,
title = {Erwin Schroedinger, Francis Crick and epigenetic stability},
author = {Vasily Ogryzko},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0704.3957},
year = {2008}
}