196 LIFE: ITS NATURE AND ORIGIN 



ferent electronic fields if rearranged into ACT; and this would be 

 true whether the letters represented atoms, radicals, molecules, 

 macromolecules, or even larger units. 



(2) Gene Modification 



If a gene group adsorbs a particulate unit, such as an atom, ion, 

 or molecule, and the gene is able to duplicate itself so as to main- 

 tain the new specific catalyst surface consequent upon the adsorp- 

 tion, we have the same effect as a gene mutation. Something 

 allied to this occurs when a carcinogen like 3:4-benzpyrene acts 

 to make cells heritably cancerous, for the carcinogen itself is not 

 reproduced, though the cell culture continues cancerous. 



Even if a gene that has been modified by adsorption were to 

 duplicate itself in unchanged form, the new catalyst area could 

 be maintained in the cell clone* providing: 



(a) the new catalyst surface could direct the formation of par- 

 ticles of such specificity that, when adsorbed by the unmodified 

 gene surfaces appearing on gene duplication, the modified gene 

 surface (with the modified electronic field) would be formed. 



(b) the food, milieu, or the activities of other catalysts furnished 

 a continuous supply of the specific modifying particles. 



The ability to adsorb specific particles previously not adsorb- 

 able might be one of the consequences of a gene mutation; the 

 specific effect would not be produced in the absence of the specific 

 adsorbable particle. 



(3) New Catalyst Formation 



The attachment of a prosthetic group to a suitable carrier may 

 form a specific catalyst surface, which may serve as a mold or 

 template from which are produced more areas of like electronic 

 contour, to serve in turn as prosthetic groups for additional 

 catalyst areas having a specificity like that of the first-formed 

 catalyst unit. 



We pointed out in the chapter on immunology what happens 

 when a piece of tin-foil is pressed against a newly-minted coin: 

 the surface of the foil which lies next to the coin acquires the 

 reverse impression of the coin surface, but the top surface of the 

 foil forms a duplicate impression of the coin surface. In like 

 manner the thin molecular "plaque" formed against a new catalyst 



* A clone (also spelled clon) is a group of cells having a common ancestor, which 

 they generally resemble. The term is derived from the Gaelic klonn, a twig, and is 

 allied to the Scotch word clan. 



