Professor Suegene Noh’s speech last Monday centered around the interactions of singled celled organisms, the competition that goes on around them, changes that these single celled organisms undergo due to this conflict, and the banding together of these microscopic creatures that is reflective of all other living creatures regardless of shape and size. This topic was unique compared to the other speeches we’ve listened to, because it was more about scientific research and less about literary analysis. Nonetheless, both ways of studying about our world are able to use the past to tell us about our present and vise versa. Professor Noh uses her observations on current social interactions between organisms to tell us about evolutionary processes of the past. Once again, I thoroughly enjoyed this speech. While the subject matter was complex and dare I say beyond me, I really enjoyed looking at the idea of “The Presence of the past” through the lens of science.
Professor Noh showed that when it is necessary, the amoeba that she was studying, known as Dictystelium Discoideum, which she refers to as simply “Dicty” will form an aggregate band of themselves or a slug. This slug allows the amoebas to protect themselves during periods of cold temperatures. Furthermore, Professor Noh was able to study how the amoebas choose which other amoebas are welcome into the slug so that it is better suited to survive times of conflict and change that could be hurtful to the greater aggregate. Professor Noh tested mRNA abundance in these organisms by looking at the actions of chimeric organisms, or organisms made up of cells with different genetic make ups and comparing that to clonal samples. What was evident was that the chimeric organisms were far more likely to take part in positive selection, or the action of adding and subtracting cells with genetics that would make it easier or harder to survive respectively. Some of the genes that this slug will “look for” in other cells are genes that are conducive to high levels of reproduction, motility, and adhesion. Genes like these will be copied and present in younger iterations of these Dicties.
I found this interesting because even at the microscopic level, organisms look to be surrounded by other organisms that will help them survive, but will not be afraid to make additions and subtractions as current conditions dictate.
I think one of the most apt comparisons to what we see with these amoebas is what humans do when maintaining a company. A company, big or small, acts as one to make sure that not only it can survive, but that it can be prosperous at the same time. As markets change and demand for different services becomes prevalent, certain people or whole divisions can be cut and others will be added in their place. This is similar to the idea that as a Dicty slug’s environement changes around it, it must cut and add cells that make it able to better adapt to these changes. Just like in the Dicty, there is competition to be at different parts of the company that will make an individual a better asset or better able to remain a part of the organization.