An Estimate of the Total DNA in the Biosphere

Modern whole-organism genome analysis, in combination with biomass estimates, allows us to estimate a lower bound on the total information content in the biosphere: 5.3 × 10(31) (±3.6 × 10(31)) megabases (Mb) of DNA. Given conservative estimates regarding DNA transcription rates, this information co...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Landenmark, Hanna K. E., Forgan, Duncan H., Cockell, Charles S.
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Public Library of Science 2015
Materias:
Essay
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4466264/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26066900
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.1002168
Descripción
Sumario:Modern whole-organism genome analysis, in combination with biomass estimates, allows us to estimate a lower bound on the total information content in the biosphere: 5.3 × 10(31) (±3.6 × 10(31)) megabases (Mb) of DNA. Given conservative estimates regarding DNA transcription rates, this information content suggests biosphere processing speeds exceeding yottaNOPS values (10(24) Nucleotide Operations Per Second). Although prokaryotes evolved at least 3 billion years before plants and animals, we find that the information content of prokaryotes is similar to plants and animals at the present day. This information-based approach offers a new way to quantify anthropogenic and natural processes in the biosphere and its information diversity over time.

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