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VCE Stuff => VCE Science => VCE Mathematics/Science/Technology => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE Biology => Topic started by: zhe0001 on June 12, 2013, 08:58:17 pm

Title: RandomQ, 1000 years later, no enzymes?
Post by: zhe0001 on June 12, 2013, 08:58:17 pm

Hey forum,
Just curious, do you reckon in the future we will evolve without having to rely on enzymes?
I certainly think so, as to why, natural selection? idk

Thanks!

Title: Re: RandomQ, 1000 years later, no enzymes?
Post by: alondouek on June 12, 2013, 09:01:19 pm

Nope, doesn't seem viable to me. The laws of physics (huzzah!) dictate the rate and energy at which specific reactions can proceed uncatalysed. This rate is usually very slow, and almost impossible for endergonic reactions (without some outside energetic influence).

In short, I posit that we (and all other true living organisms) will require enzymes; but these enzymes are certainly open to adaptation through mutation and overall natural selection.

Brilliant question!

Title: Re: RandomQ, 1000 years later, no enzymes?
Post by: Russ on June 12, 2013, 09:04:05 pm

Human evolution has probably stalled fairly significantly due to a lack of selective pressures that can be addressed with heritable characteristics mothers/fathers can pass on to their children. Medical interventions are also keeping various deleterious genetic mutations in the gene pool, so human evolution has probably plateaued right now.

I'm sure if evolution continued unchecked, we'd come up with some way to get around the inefficiencies of the current system our body uses, but I doubt we'd do away with enzymes completely. DNA codes for them, I don't see how we could continue to have DNA and not use enzymes.

Title: Re: RandomQ, 1000 years later, no enzymes?
Post by: zhe0001 on June 12, 2013, 09:15:49 pm

Thanks to both for supplying an answer, one with physics and another biology defined answers. Appreciate it!
Now that you mention it your ideas it does seem that the extinction (is this even allowed to describe enzymeslol) of enzymes does seem a little far fetched.
Especially the fact that DNA's main purpose is coding amino sequences for proteins and for passing on genetic data.
Thanks again! I +1