Page 48 - The Miracle in the Cell

THE MIRACLE IN THE CELL

Nucleosome

DNA

Highly Looped DNA Thread-like
condensed domains thread chromosome
chromosome form
form

Figure 2.5
The packaging of DNA inside the chromosomes. One DNA molecule is found
in each chromosome. The total length of one DNA molecule in any one cell is
about one meter. The total thickness of the chromosome is 1 nanometer-that is,
a billionth of a meter. The packaging of the one-meter-long DNA molecule into
an area a billionth of its size, the constant decoding of this DNA molecule, the
copying of the DNA at the proper time, and the absence of any complications
during all of these processes are beautiful examples of God's perfect creation.

The information in DNA, comprised from five billion bases,
comes about as a result of the unique and meaningful order of the A,
T, G and C letters. But not a single mistake can be made in this order.
In an encyclopedia, a mistyped word or letter isn't too important and
can be ignored. It may not even be noticed. In contrast, an error in any
rung of the DNA ladder-for example, a mistake in the coding of one
letter in the 1, 719, 348, 632 nd rung-results in frightful consequences
for the cell and therefore for the human. For instance, leukemia, the
blood cancer seen in children, results from such a mistake in coding.
To be accurate, we shouldn't really say a mistake in coding. Just
like everything else that exists, DNA has been created by God, and
any "mistakes" we may perceive arise due to a particular wisdom, a
divine purpose. The coding defect that brings about cancer has been
specially created to show man his utter powerlessness and weakness-
to remind us of the fine, delicate balance within which we've been cre-
ated and what problems can result with even the slightest deviation.

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