Five Unifying Themes in Biology

Objective:
 Understand the unifying themes in biology
 Evolution is the core theme
 Life depends on the transmission of information
 Understand the relationship between structure and function
 Understand the flow of energy and the cycling of matter
 Understand systems biology
Life’s common themes: Throughout the course, we’ll look for examples of these themes.
We’ll expect overlap too—one topic we are learning about may provide examples of all/many
themes.

Transformations of energy and matter (Energy flows – never destroyed – and

matter cycles)
Studying biology will help you understand how molecules are arranged to make
up cells and how they are broken/cycled through living and nonliving systems.
For example, plants take in carbon dioxide and water…how do plants convert
those molecules into glucose? Rearranging of matter requires energy. Where do
plants get this energy?

Examples:
 Cells undergoing cellular respiration
 Plants using the Sun’s energy to do photosynthesis

Heterotrophs – organisms that must rely on other organisms for energy

Autotrophs – organisms that gain energy on their own
 Chemoautotrophs – those that gain energy from the Earth (Archaea)

Structure fits function

If you needed to put a nail in the wall to hang a picture, would you use
pliers or a hammer? You would choose a hammer, of course, because its
shape would be the better tool for getting the nail in the wall. Look for
examples where the structure of an organism’s anatomy, a cell, an
organelle, or a molecule is a good fit for the job it performs, such as a hummingbird’s long beak
for reaching nectar in tubular flowers or the structure of phospholipids in forming a barrier
between the inside and outside of a cell.

Structures of organisms are created for certain purposes.

 The cell membrane is composed of hydrophilic and hydrophobic parts (called
phospholipids) which allow various nutrients to enter and exit the cell.
 The long legs of a flamingo – it is a wading bird
 Balance within systems
What is a system? Systems have hierarchy, such as how a group of cells
make up a tissue and a group of tissues make up organs in your body. At
each new level, a new function emerges as the parts work together.
(Emergent functions) (Like the way a bunch of mechanical parts won’t take
you anywhere until they are assembled into one configuration--a bike.)
Another biological example would be a group of ants forming a population and many different
populations forming a community. Systems can become unbalanced (such as too much weight
gain, high blood glucose levels, or an explosion of bacterial growth in an environment.) Look for
examples of processes that keep systems-- like your cells, your body or earth’s ecosystems-- in
balance.

Antibiotics target the cell membrane of bacteria and once the cell wall is broken, the system is
disturbed and the bacteria dies.

Information pathways
One fetus developing within a woman becomes a boy and another
becomes a girl. What information directed these twins to develop
different anatomy? One of the twins carries a Y chromosome—and on
that chromosome is information for male development. Look for
examples for how information flows in a system, such as how gene
products from the Y chromosome cause certain hormones to be produced and testes to
develop. Informational pathways can also break down, look for examples such as how a defect
in making one protein can cause cystic fibrosis or how spraying a toxin on a plant leaf causes
cell death.

DNA is the building block required to create proteins. (Translation and transcription)
DNA is similar to a computer’s hard drive.
 DNA is hereditary and can be changed based on one’s environment.
 Same letters throughout: G, A, T, C (but still there are thousands of different
codes and much diversity)

Evolution
Life’s unity (such as the DNA as a common informational code) and life’s
diversity (such as the numerous shapes a bird’s beak can form) are
explained by evolution. Look for evidence of common ancestry as well as
evidence for how life changes over time. Evidence exists at the different
hierarchical levels of life.

All living things have much of the same DNA sequences.

Species have different numbers of chromosomes (makes it impossible for inter-species
reproduction).