128

10.2

Considering Evolution: Conserved and Variable Areas

The view of things just mentioned describes the fascinating control behaviour of biologi­

cal systems and tries to understand this aspect as well as possible (systems biology).

However, we can also ask ourselves how these wonderful adaptations of living beings

came about in the first place. Bioinformatics also tries to better explore and understand

this. The focus here is on sequence comparisons, evolution and phylogenetic trees. But

this is perhaps a bit theoretical to start with. Evolution, in particular the common root of

all life, on the other hand, can also be experienced first hand. All it takes is lunch. We can

eat vegetables and meat, and indeed all vegetables, fruits, but also (at least as a non-­

vegetarian) all kinds of meat, fish and even crustaceans and shellfish. This is only possible

because all of these creatures are related and even share the same genetic code. If this were

not the case, the animal species that incorporate other amino acids into their proteins

would be indigestible and probably even highly toxic to us. So the genetic code common

to all living things can be tasted at lunch and is a strong indication of the “last common

ancestor”, the last common ancestor of all life.

­

10.1

10.3

Measuring Evolution: Sequence and Secondary Structure

10.1

­

10.1

10  Understand Evolution Better Applying the Computer