John Tower, a molecular biologist at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, has proposed a new rule of biology in a recent publication in the journal Frontiers in Aging. Tower’s rule challenges the traditional belief that most living organisms prefer stability over instability in order to conserve energy and resources. Tower’s concept of “selectively advantageous instability” (SAI) suggests that some degree of volatility in biological components, such as proteins and genetic material, can actually provide an advantage to cells. This instability may play a key role in evolution by allowing genetic diversity and adaptability within cell populations.
Tower argues that even the simplest cells rely on processes like protein degradation and replacement, indicating that SAI is a fundamental aspect of biology that is essential for life. He suggests that natural selection may act differently on cells with unstable components present versus absent, favoring the maintenance of both normal and mutated genes within a cell population. This genetic diversity can enhance adaptability and potentially contribute to the long-term survival of organisms.
Furthermore, Tower proposes that SAI may also be linked to the aging process. The energy and resources required to create and replace unstable components within cells may come at a cost, and the presence of mutated genes alongside normal genes in cell populations could potentially contribute to the aging of organisms. Additionally, SAI may have broader implications beyond evolution and aging, potentially playing a role in phenomena such as chaos theory, criticality, Turing patterns, and even “cellular consciousness.” Due to its apparent ubiquity in biology and its wide-ranging implications, Tower suggests that SAI may serve as the newest rule of biology.
Tower’s rule of biology challenges the conventional idea that stability is preferred over instability in living organisms. By proposing the concept of SAI, Tower suggests that some degree of volatility in biological components can provide an advantage to cells and play a key role in evolution. This theory may have implications for genetic diversity and adaptability within cell populations, potentially influencing the long-term survival of organisms. Additionally, Tower suggests that SAI may be linked to the aging process, as the energy and resources required for creating and replacing unstable components within cells may contribute to the aging of organisms.
Tower’s concept of SAI as a fundamental aspect of biology may have far-reaching implications beyond evolution and aging. He suggests that SAI could play a role in phenomena such as chaos theory, criticality, Turing patterns, and even “cellular consciousness.” Tower proposes that SAI, with its potential ubiquity in biology and wide-ranging implications, may represent the newest rule of biology. This groundbreaking idea challenges established beliefs in the field of biology and may open up new avenues for research and understanding the complexities of living organisms.
