Here is my second paper that i forgot to upload to the blog. Enjoy


The Tale of the Mitosis-R-Us

In the cells of every human being there is something called DNA which acts as the blueprints for the make-up for the body. Essentially, DNA is the chemical instruction manual for the construction of each part of the body. The brain, eyes, arms, internal organs, and other physical features are all determined by the chemical composition of DNA. However, like some instructions, there are mistakes. These mistakes, called mutations when talking about DNA, give the body false orders when creating the different parts of the body. Sometimes these mutations have no severe negative effects of the body make-up. However, it is common that these mutations, if not fixed, can cause severe damages to the body. Some of these damages could be fatal if not taken care of immediately.
DNA replication takes an enormous role in the process of cell multiplication of body formation. When cells divide, which is essential in the beginning stages of growth, the DNA needs to be copied exactly. If this DNA is not copied exactly, the mutations described above occur which could have severe effects. The main components of the DNA replication are molecular machines. Molecular machines carry out the basic mechanical functions that drive the most important physiological functions. When it comes to DNA copying, the molecular machine that plays an important in this process is DNA polymerase. This enzyme is responsible for binding to one half of the DNA and adding corresponding nucleotides to form a double helix. If the DNA polymerase does its job well and copies the DNA strand perfectly, the ribosome, another molecular machine involved in DNA replication, will be able to produce the correct amino acids to create the proper protein. If the DNA is copied with mutations, an incorrect protein will be created, which would have obvious negative effects. This process of DNA copying is paralleled with workers in a toy factory creating toys based on the instructions given.
There once was a factory called Mitosis-R-Us that was responsible for making various toys for the kids in Cell, which is a small town outside the major city, Body. In this factory, there were hundreds of workers responsible for different jobs in the making of these toys. There was Henry the helicase, who was responsible for splitting the blueprints prior to copying. Next was Danny the DNA polymerase who was responsible for exactly translating each specific part of the blueprint so it can be read by other workers. Basically, Danny took one part of the instructions that Henry would separate and add corresponding instructions. For example, there were specific codes that needed to be read by and translated by Danny. Danny was the only person who was able to translate these codes. Once the codes were completed they were given to Ryan the RNA which was a messenger who passed them onto to Ron the Ribosome. Ron the ribosome could not understand the instructions without Danny’s specific translations. Once Danny carried out his job, Ron was able to assemble the specific parts to make small portions of the toy. Eventually, after other DNA polymerases and other ribosomes finished their jobs, the entire toy was completed.
Mitosis-R-Us was a very efficient factory where each individual did their job quickly and correctly. Toys were flooding the homes of Cell and each and every kid was happy. Danny loved his job and he was very good at what he did. He almost never messed up the instructions and each toy was made to perfection. He realized that his job was pretty easy. All he had to do was use his advantages of being able to decipher the codes that the initial instructions had. His job was very similar to a translator who communicated between a Spanish speaking person and an English speaking person. The English person would have no clue what the Spanish speaking person was saying without the help of the translator. What seemed like a hard job to Ron was a lot easier with his translator friend, Danny.
One morning, as Danny entered the factory ready for yet another successful day copying toy instructions, he noticed something peculiar. Nick the nucleus, who was his original boss, was no longer there. He stopped what he was doing to find out where his noble boss was. As he entered Nick’s office, he laid his eyes on someone he had never seen before. A tall gray man stood in front of Nick’s desk with a dominating presence. A little wary of this unsuspecting individual, he began to worry about what was going on. He nervously asked, “Excuse me sir, do you know where Nick is?”
With a sly chuckle the mysterious man replied, “Ha ha, Nick is gone”.
“What do you mean gone?”
“Nick will no longer be your supervisor in this factory”, replied the man to the worried factory worker. “He has been…removed from his commanding position.” Danny gave a blank stare in utter disbelief. “I am your new Boss! My name is Kyle Cancer. I will be taking that pathetic minion’s position as your commander.”
Danny’s stomach fell to his feet as he listened to this man tell him he will no longer work for his boss. He had no idea what to think. He comes in on a normal day only to see his boss has been replaced by some over powering evil being, with no real explanation. He was certainly nervous for the company if this man was in control of the entire factory. Although reprehensive, Danny had no idea what was soon about to happen.
As Danny returned to his work position, the loud speaker came on. The eerie, deep voice of his new boss flooded the factory with a new message to all workers. “Attention workers!” says the voice, “I am your new boss and there will be some major changes around here. First and most importantly, Nick is no longer your supervisor. I have assumed his position as your boss and you are under my command. Second of all, I have devised some new blueprints for a new type of toy and you are all instructed to comply.” The new set of instructions reached Danny and he quickly noticed a major problem. He realized that these instructions did not code for the production of their normal toys! Instead they were instructions for a different toy, a mutated toy that Danny didn’t recognize. He had a feeling, though, that this toy would only be harmful to the kids of the Cell. He soon realized that the instructions called for a toy that had violent and negative influences on kids and that this toy could not be sent out to the town of Cell.
With no real solution to this problem, Danny quickly became worried for kids all around. There was no way he could make up his own instructions for the proper toy, there were just too many details and it was almost impossible to be made from scratch. There was also no way he would be able to go through the entire instructions to find the tiny details that were changed in order to fix the problem. Just as he thought there was no way to stop the evil Kyle cancer from distributing these violent toys all around town, he thought of someone who might be able to help. Beth the DNA polymerase beta was like Danny in the sense that she was able to translate the instructions but she had a different ability. She was able to correct mistakes made in the instructions.
Danny quickly left his post and went to the closest phone in order to call his friend. He got her on the phone and explained what happened. He told her how Kyle cancer has taken over the factory, changed the instructions to the toys, and started making evil toys that could be very harmful for the kids of Cell. In complete disbelieve, Beth wasted no time in getting over to the factory to help save the company.
She arrives within minutes, before too many toys had been assembled. Without wasting too much time, Beth quickly positioned herself at Danny’s work station and vigorously scanned the instructions as they were handed to her. Thousands and thousands of codes ran by her every minute as she quickly looked for the mutation that Kyle cancer had implemented. After twenty minutes of scanning, she came across a peculiar strand of codes that she recognized as the problem causing part of the instructions. She quickly removed the mutated instructions and implemented the correct form. She then hustled the new and improved instructions over to Ryan the RNA, who then quickly rushed them to Ronny the ribosome and told him to start building by these instructions rather than those that Kyle had previously implanted. Eventually, new and safe toys began being assembled by the hundreds. Before Kyle new it, his planned had failed miserably.
After Kyle’s plan had been destroyed by Beth’s ability to read and fix his mutations, order was finally restored in the factory. Kyle Cancer was quickly run out of town by the angry parents and factory workers, never to be seen again. The next day, Danny came to work to see that Nick the nucleus had finally resumed his position as boss of Mitosis-R-Us. Thanks to the help of Danny and Beth the DNA polymerase beta, the toy instructions were fixed and the people of Cell were able to live happily and peacefully.