Crystals (Aug 2022)

The Effect of DNA from Escherichia Coli at High and Low CO<sub>2</sub> Concentrations on the Shape and Form of Crystal-line Silica-Carbonates of Barium (II)

  • Cesia D. Pérez-Aguilar,
  • Selene R. Islas,
  • Abel Moreno,
  • Mayra Cuéllar-Cruz

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst12081147
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 8
p. 1147

Abstract

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The synthesis of nucleic acids in the Precambrian era marked the start of life, with DNA being the molecule in which the genetic information has been conserved ever since. After studying the DNA of different organisms for several decades, we now know that cell size and cellular differentiation are influenced by DNA concentration and environmental conditions. However, we still need to find out the minimum required concentration of DNA in the pioneer cell to control the resulting morphology. In order to do this, the present research aims to evaluate the influence of the DNA concentration on the morphology adopted by biomorphs (barium silica-carbonates) under two synthesis conditions: one emulating the Precambrian era and one emulating the present era. The morphology of the synthetized biomorphs was assessed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The chemical composition and the crystalline structure were determined through Raman and IR spectroscopy. Our results showed that DNA, even at relatively low levels, affects the morphology of the biomorph structure. They also indicated that, even at the low DNA concentration prevailing during the synthesis of the first DNA biomolecules existing in the primitive era, these biomolecules influenced the morphology of the inorganic structure that lodged it. On the other hand, this also allows us to infer that, once the DNA was synthetized in the Precambrian era, it was definitely responsible for generating, conserving, and directing the morphology of all organisms up to the present day.

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