Karyotype coding: The creation and maintenance of system information for complexity and biodiversity

• Published in: BioSystems 2021-10, Vol.208, p.104476-104476, Article 104476
• Main Authors: Heng, Julie, Heng, Henry H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biodiversity; Databases, Genetic - trends; Evolution, Molecular; Gene-mediated microevolution; Genetic Code - physiology; Genome architecture theory; Genome-mediated macroevolution; Humans; Information flow; Information self-management; Karyotype; Natural information creation and preservation; Organic coding; Two-phased cancer evolution
• ISSN: 0303-2647; 1872-8324
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2021.104476

The mechanism of biological information flow is of vital importance. However, traditional research surrounding the genetic code that follows the central dogma to a phenotype faces challengers, including missing heritability and two-phased evolution. Here, we propose the karyotype code, which by organizing genes along chromosomes at once preserves species genome information and provides a platform for other genetic and nongenetic information to develop and accumulate. This specific genome-level code, which exists in all living systems, is compared to the genetic code and other organic codes in the context of information management, leading to the concept of hierarchical biological codes and an ‘extended’ definition of adaptor where the adaptors of a code can be not only molecular structures but also, more commonly, biological processes. Notably, different levels of a biosystem have their own mechanisms of information management, and gene-coded parts inheritance preserves “parts information” while karyotype-coded system inheritance preserves the “system information” which organizes parts information. The karyotype code prompts many questions regarding the flow of biological information, including the distinction between information creation, maintenance, modification, and usage, along with differences between living and non-living systems. How do biological systems exist, reproduce, and self-evolve for increased complexity and diversity? Inheritance is mediated by organic codes which function as informational tools to organize chemical reactions, create new information, and preserve frozen accidents, transforming historical miracles into biological routines.