Beyond the Textbook: Biology 101: Form Follows Function

We all go through school forced to learn useless information, but we students must learn. As a result, many of us turned to resources like Crash Course, Khan Academy, Extra Credits, and more to pass a test and move on. As a result, we leave high school and enter college feeling like we missed the lessons that matter most. This is J. J. Bartel, Author, Scientist, Historian, Gamer, and this is Beyond the Textbook for Biology 101.

After going through the scientific method, many instructors will get into biology’s chemistry. Because yes, let us go through some of the most obtuse details of chemistry; how fun. Many students get tripped up on atoms, and atomic structure, which gives way to topics like the acids and bases of PH; water will get a spotlight, and if the instructor is a particularly cheeky bugger, they will touch on organic molecules. The joys of lipids, proteins, carbs, and nucleic acids will make heads spin.

Yes, atoms are the essential components of elements, and many atomic behaviors explain phenomena. Yes, water is fundamental for life itself, and its various properties allow life on planet earth. Yes, organic molecules comprise the essential components of all living organisms, from microbes to towering trees and everything else. Yes, lipids, proteins, carbs, and nucleic acids are essential to humans. Figuring out how these things can go wrong and how to fix them is the basis for chemical and psychological medicine. But, there is also something much more fundamental to these things, shaping our understanding of all biology. Form Follows Function.

F cubed, or Form Follows Function, is the concept that things are mostly not accidents. The shape of something implies what that thing can do. Carbon is significant for all life on Earth because it has four electrons in its estimated outermost shell. Therefore it can atomically bond up to four other atoms at once. If one looks at the periodic table, sodium is on the far left and has one electron in its outer shell. It is easier to lose that electron than to gain several more to become stable. Chlorine is in the same position but reversed, as it has seven electrons in its shell and wants one more to be more stable. Sodium and chlorine join together to form table salt. Because of the shape of sodium and chlorine atoms, there are predisposed to specific actions and reactions. Carbon can both take sodium’s electron and give an electron to chlorine. This makes carbon-based molecules highly complex and allows molecular formation that enables life on planet earth.

The shape of water allows the molecule to have weird behaviors. It has a strong negative polarity and weak positive polarity, which allows it to function and interact with many things like acids and bases. Acids have a form with too many hydrogen ions. Keep in mind that it takes energy for atoms and molecules to stay together. If some aspects of the atomic structure have too much energy, it threatens to break away. Acids have too many Hydrogen Ions, and for the form to become more stable, it has the function of giving up these hydrogen ions. Bases are inverted, where their atomic and molecular form can become more stable by functioning as an acceptor of hydrogen ions.

Some might say this is a nice coincidence. It only goes deeper. Organic molecules further cement this idea of forming the following function.

Lipids are molecules that are generally non-polar, especially at the molecular ends. That trait makes the molecules fairly nonreactive and takes more energy to break them apart. So that form allows that kind of molecule to act as chemical protection and energy storage for living organisms.

It is different for carbohydrates. Simple carbs are held together with weaker polar bonds that everything from microbes to plants can break down for food. Complex carbohydrates like polysaccharides take more energy to break down, but not as much as lipids. This means that if an organism needs energy quickly to get through a terrible exam, it will break down carbs, and if it runs out of carbs, it will begin to burn lipids. That is why many new students struggle with that pesky freshman fifteen.

The molecular brain that orders all of this are the nucleic acids. Nucleic acids have this form of a nonreactive backbone with reactive pieces of code called bases that can interact with their pair. Like an oblivious loving couple, these base pairs do not chemically bond well with anything outside of their partner. Instead, molecules will read the string of bases and use that biochemical code to make molecules. This code can be worked forward or backward on the string. That movement allows this molecule to store the most information possible in the smallest amount of space, which is why nucleic acids, not proteins, are the living information storage for cells.

Proteins are the worker molecules, as they have various levels of complexity and can be shaped to perform specific functions. Every protein’s unique shape allows it to do a specific function. Proteins that form enzymes break down or process specific molecules, while proteins that form hormones help maintain the organism’s function. Careful study of enzymes can tell us what they can break down, and studying hormones can tell us what an organism needs to develop and survive.

It is for more than just this microscopic stuff too. Organs have forms that allow certain functions to occur. Organisms have different forms that allow them to fulfill particular ecological niches. Herbivores have mouthparts, digestive enzymes, and defecation practices that allow them to survive on plants. Some animals, like bunnies and capybaras, eat their own feces to get more nutrients. Sorry about ruining lunch. Carnivores have different organs that allow for meat digestion. The stomach acid of hyenas and jackals are some of the strongest in the animal kingdom, along with powerful jaws and hunt in packs to get food. Ecosystems have different living and nonliving components that influence what organisms do to thrive and prosper. The form of the planet with an atmosphere, weather, and climate allow life to function.

The form of something denotes its function of it. This is the part where I blow your mind. What is your form allowing you to function as? Are you physically, mentally, and emotionally in good form for doing good functions? Is your improper form impairing your functions for greatness? Atoms, Acids, Bases, Water, Carbs, Lipids, Nucleic Acids, and Proteins can change to become stable and peaceful. You can do the same.

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