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12.5

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In conclusion, biological information is always context-related, whereby the linguistic

space that delimits the terminology and words used or understood is the respective cell

itself (i.e. the totality of all stored information in this cell, represented by the many types

of molecules: Nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, but all with very specific

sequences).

Of course, numerous experiments have already been carried out that have shown that a

certain word (a gene or protein variant) is “understood” in one cell, i.e. that it triggers a

certain effect that it does not trigger in other cells.

For example, the third Erk phosphorylation (Chap. 5) triggers cardiac enlargement only

in the heart.

The Language of Life

In addition to the clear restriction of the vocabulary and the contextuality of all informa­

tion, a third characteristic distinguishes biological information that is stored genetically.

Information is only newly or additionally stored if this increases the overall probability of

survival or the adaptability to the environment.

12.1  Molecular Words Only Ever Make Sense in the Context of the Cell