Who or What Turns On The Switch?

We have revealed that molecular switches activate protein gears, which, in turn, move, and generate behavior (What is the real secret of life). Now the big question concerning the secret of life is, “Who or what turns on the switch?” To turn the switch, we introduce… the signal. A signal from the cell’s environment puts the gears, motor, switch, and gauge into motion.

The Signal: Signals represent environmental forces that switch on the motor within a cell and cause protein gears to move. Signals represent both physical and energetic information that comprise the world in which we live. The air we breathe, the food we eat, the people we touch, even the news we hear-all represent environmental signals that activate protein movement and generate behavior. Consequently, when we use the term environment in our discussion, we mean everything from the edge of our own skin to the edge of the Universe.

This is environment in the truly large sense. Each protein responds to a specific environmental signal with the intimacy and accuracy of a key fitting into its matching lock. The coupling of a protein molecule with a complementary environmental signal causes the protein molecule to change its shape, which, by its nature, is expressed as movement. The cell harnesses these molecular movements to drive its life-providing protein pathways, such as respiration, digestion, muscle contractions, and others. Protein movement animates the cell, bringing it to life.

New-Edge Biology Conclusion #2 Environmental signals cause proteins to change shape; the resulting movements create the functions of life.