Is DNA really the building blocks of life? Or just the building blocks of a body?

Question

I realize that all life has DNA or at least RNA (in the case of sperm and egg cells and possibly even viral structures) but what affect does DNA really have on the human psyche? Why can't a living organism be created by building DNA? Or has this been done?

Answer 1

As indicated in another answer, the DNA or RNA
has to be in a living organism in order to produce
its effect. It is a mistake to think that the complete
design of an organism depends only on it own DNA. In the egg, contributions from the mother, in
the form of stored proteins and their spatial relations have already determined how a number of things will happen in the embryo. This is why
even the complete DNA of a dinosaur would not
allow us to recreate any species of dinosaur. In
order to do so it would be necessary to have the
DNA inside a dinosaur egg, as well.

The building blocks of the body are the materials
that enter into its construction - all of them. The
nucleic acids are the code that tell it what to do,
but some of the things are contingent on other
things. The code may say, for example, if you are
on the outer surface of the embryo develop into
skin, if you are inside, develop into nerves. We
are still a long way from knowing how all such things work. This is a really major gap in our
knowledge - how do you get from the DNA code
to the fully formed living organism? It is a
horrendously complicated question, almost as
difficult as how the nervous system works. When
you have billions of nerve cells, each of which can
make contact with thousands of other nerve cells
there is no computer capable of handling all the
relationships that are possible, at least in any
length of time that would be useful.

Answer 2

No, DNA is simply put, the genetic information that is passed on from generations which gives the information of what makes you, you!

I've actually worked on recombinant DNA last week at UCLA, and no matter how much DNA I "made," I didn't see anything living. DNA has to be in the nucleus of the cell, and the cells are the building blocks of a body, which is primarily carbon based.

Building blocks of life is a different story. Can you tell me exactly what do you mean by "life"? So the first question is more philosophical, I think.

Answer 3

DNA is the building block of life from a biological standpoint. It starts much like this DNA>RNA>Protein for any species be it man animal or plant. If I understand your question correctly, you are right in your assumption that it is the building block of LIFE. This doesnt include the world and its non human non plant, non virus etc counterparts. Let's break down the actual building blocks of life wich are carbon, nitorgen, hydrogen and oxygen. If you break down dna, this is what dna is composed of; various protiens that are comprised of those four elements. Living organisms have been created by building DNA. Dolly the sheep is one of them. She was cloned and this is an organism made by the various cloning methods which are basically splicing DNA to build a living thing. Also, look at the non organic fruits and vegetables that you eat. They are cloned. The seedless oranges that you eat are sterile because of "DNA building" so to speak. These are just a few of the many examples of DNA building that science has achieved.

Answer 4

They're not literally building blocks if that's what you are inferring. I like to think of DNA as the CPU of life. It tells everything else what to do. It has all the information stored on it and it knows exactly how to use it. Its very interesting. I guess in laments terms you could say building blocks.

Answer 5

Well, building DNA is not the difficult part in creating life. Scientists have been able to create DNA and other self-replicating molecules under lab conditions, close to the conditions that there may have been when life was emerging when the earth was a few billion years younger. Scientists have not discovered "the key to life" and many people have their different beliefs why this has not occured, such as God or not enough technology or knowledge.

I hope that this helped.

Answer 6

white boy is half rigth dna is the blue print however the building blocks of life is not organic carbon molecules its actually amino acids though they contain a carboxyl groups and a side chain bonded to carbon amino acid are necessary in the possibility for life anywhere amino acids when binded together form protien its been a while since bilogy but the rule i believe is dna-->>rna--->>protien the rna bieng used to synthize the protien which is made up of amino acid. A.A. is what most scientist will search for in the search for life on other places for thier to be life thier must be amino acids.

Answer 7

Actually DNA is the 'code' for the characteristic of the various function.It can be said as the building blocks of life,but it's more towards the "code " for the characteristics.
If you say something is an element of building blocks of life,it must have certain fuction to human,eg. protein that can be synthesis into hormone,enzyme,skin,tendon,and even bone.

Answer 8

It's not the building block, it's the blueprint

The building blocks of life are carbon based molecules

Answer 9

I think it is the building blocks of a body. Life is given by God. Two different things.