Introduction
By taking the Biology course, I have enriched my knowledge about living beings and the functioning of my own body. In this paper, I will discuss why the basics of biology should be studied by everyone, including those who do not aim to specialize in this field. Further, I will describe the three things I learned during the course: the structure and functions of proteins, Mendelian genetics, and genetically modified organisms.
The Importance of Studying Biology
The basic knowledge of biology is beneficial for every person because this science explains the fundamentals of life on this planet. Studying biology helps people make more rational decisions regarding the environment, lifestyle choices, treatment options, and others. For example, people know that plants produce oxygen necessary for breathing. Therefore, they may furnish their houses with many plants, assuming it would be beneficial. However, after studying biology, individuals would know that plants generate oxygen from photosynthesis, which occurs only in daylight. At night, plants breathe, thus consuming oxygen along with people. Given this knowledge, people will likely avoid placing many plants in their bedrooms.
Biology also enables people to make better choices regarding their health. For example, knowing what vital functions vitamins and minerals perform in the body is likely to encourage individuals to choose a balanced diet. Further, understanding the difference between viruses and bacteria will prevent people from taking antibiotics to cure viral diseases such as influenza. Knowing that some conditions may be hereditary may encourage people to review their family health history and adjust their lifestyles or environment to reduce the risk of developing such an illness. Thus, biology has a wide application in everyday life, which is why any person can benefit from studying it.
Proteins
When studying biological molecules, I learned that proteins perform many functions within the body. Before taking the Biology course, I believed that proteins were primarily necessary for building and repairing muscle tissue. However, I found that, even though proteins consist of a combination of only 20 amino acids, their structures and functions vary greatly. For example, proteins can function as enzymes, hormones, and messengers; they can store nutrients and maintain proper pH levels (Fowler, Roush, & Wise, 2017). What stood out to me most about proteins is their structure is crucial to their functions. Even one slight change in the sequence of amino acids within a protein molecule can lead to its malfunction (Fowler, Roush, & Wise, 2017). This information has made me realize that the human body is regulated by mechanisms that operate with high precision since such mistakes in protein structures seem to occur infrequently.
Mendelian Genetics
Another thing I found out from this course is the basics of heredity. Mendel’s experiments with breeding pea plants were interesting to learn. Before taking this course, I did not understand phenotype and genotype differences. However, now I know that genotype refers to all gene variants present in the organism’s chromosomes, while phenotype denotes only those traits that are physically visible. What stood out to me most in Mendelian genetics is that there are dominant and recessive genes. Based on these features of genes, Mendel formulated the law of dominance, which posits that in a heterozygote, the dominant trait will conceal the recessive trait for the same characteristic (Fowler, Roush, & Wise, 2017). I found this law important because it clarified to me some facts about people’s appearance. For example, I wondered why so many people have brown eyes, even if one of their parents has blue eyes. It seems that the blue eye color is caused by a recessive gene, which is why it does not show up if this gene is coupled with the one causing brown eyes.
Genetically Modified Organisms
The third thing I learned from this course is how genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are produced. I found that they are made by transferring a gene with a desirable trait to the cells of the target organism. However, what stood out to me most about this topic is that producing GMOs generates results similar to years of breeding. In the past, farmers selected plants and animals that possessed desired characteristics and allowed them to reproduce, thus creating new generations of organisms with better qualities. Yet, it took much time for the desired traits to develop because several generations would have to reproduce. With GMOs, such breeding is done faster, but the organisms produced using this technology must be tested for safety (Fowler, Roush, & Wise, 2017). I think GMOs may be a feasible solution to the problem of food shortages because genetically modified crops and animals can survive harsher conditions and have higher productivity.
Conclusion
To sum up, biology is important science, the basics of which should be familiar to everyone. Biology helps make better decisions related to health and the environment and allows people to understand how their body functions. I learned many useful things from the Biology course, the most memorable of which were the significance of protein structure and functions, Mendel’s law of dominance, and GMO production.
Reference
Fowler, S., Roush, R., & Wise, J. (2017). Concepts of biology. Houston, TX: Rice University.