I need help with creating a sensible response to the question below.

Question

Part 1, My Hypothesis: Based on scientific study, we can asume that the universe is full of life foms in one state or another. The question is, how similar are these forms to you and me? Is the genetic makeup the dame or different? Are genes, cells or chromosomes a part of the mix? Or, are there a few unknown phenomenons, sitting in waiting to be discovered?

Part 2, :The assignment: Describe how you could perform a review of current research on genetics and DNA. Identify research sources. Do the results of your research review lead you to suspect that your initial hypothesis is correct, or does it suggest that you should modify your initial hypothesis in some way.

Answer 1

Hmm....seems that our observation is that life adapts to environmental stressors. Everything that we are learning about the genome, genes, transcription, stop and start codons, interferons, immortal cell lines, stem cells and differentiation into organ tissue, virus and immune mechanisms,all points to reactions that better the survivability of the system.

Given that the elemental building blocks are all the same. We need to ask what elements have the same opportunities for combinations as the set we see in the make up of the genetic material that we are familiar. Perhaps Si could substitute for C but I wonder on this as would Si react to solvents as does C. The double helix solved quite a number of mis transcription dead ends but perhaps in greater gravity or rarer carbon Si could create an equivalent mapping architecture.

It does seem though that life here requires chiral centers. I have not done much in looking at Si centered molecules to determine handedness. I'd guess that genetic mapping and biomolecular transport across protective barriers would entail this handedness in the mechanisms.

So my first stab is let's be earth centric and just state that likely for life to exist the mechanisms must involve handedness in the molecules involved. As far as you are aware this seems to be a predominant concern when carbon is at centers of the molecule with tetrahedral sp bonding to other elements or carbon. Likely, the propogation for the life forms in the stressor environment would go as we see it in our own or perhaps differ as the stresses differ. the genes might be different but DNA, call processes would be very similar.

One can always search the medical journals and look for findings that refute your initial stance. I'd look for discussion on chirality and its role in the cell processes. I'd look at other possible central elements than carbon and if these molecules are chiral. Id look at why a helix works and why a single read string might not work ( how the helix protects the transcription information)

You should in answering this question use your experience as the seed of the hypothesis and test it for a null result.