Throughout the process of evolution of life on Earth, many organisms have had to overcome certain obstacles placed on them

by their environments. For example, regarding the origin of life there is a particular problem called the chicken and egg problem, in which scientists attempt to figure out if energy conserved by proteins is needed to make proteins, where did the energy come from that gave rise to the first proteins[1]. In the face of these obstacles and others, different living systems have formulated and utilized different mechanisms so as to be able to combat these impediments. In Lane and Martins (2010) paper, they hypothesize and discuss the formulation of the energy and protein that led to the origin of life as a product of the implementation of the ion gradient [2]. The discussion begins with alkaline hydrothermal vents, which are significant because they offered conditions that were optimal to the cultivation of life. One condition being that the vents were able to fulfill thermodynamic demands that allowed for repetitive and extensive chemical reactivity, and another being that the vents also resembled the conditions of the carbon and energy metabolizing autotrophs [2]. Due to these conditions the hydrothermal vents were able to employ Serpentinization, the formulation of natural proton gradients used by modern cells, which also promoted the process of Flavin-Based Electron Bifurcation, a mechanism used to reduce CO2 using electrons from the created proton gradient in order to synthesize ferredoxins, proteins that facilitate the electron transfer in certain metabolic processes [2]. Due to the synthesis of ferredoxins membrane bound cells were made extremely more impermeable, allowing for active ion transport across a membrane, which promoted a net positive energy, fostering life at and away from the hydrothermal vents [2]. Thus, exemplifying the utilization of certain mechanisms (Serpentinization and Flavin-Based Electron Bifurcation) by a system (the hydrothermal vents) to overcome a restraint placed by its environment (the need for life without the formal basis of life present). Another example of a living system employing a mechanism in order to overcome an obstacle placed by its environment is the distribution of plant pollen. Part of the circle of life is reproduction, and as we have seen and discussed in the previous lectures, an important part of reproduction and evolution is variability of genes, which facilitates the development of the best-fit species. However, some organisms are not as easily able to reproduce in a way that guarantees variability as others, for example: plants. Because plants are stationary they are unable to physically interact during the process of reproduction, so certain plants have employed different mechanisms as a form of pollen (plant sex cells) distribution [3]. One method of pollen distribution is the Catapult/Trebouchet Mechanism in which a plant physically catapults its plethora of pollen into the environment and the projectile pollen takes to the wind and is carried to another plant facilitating the conception of future plants [3]. This mechanism is used due to the fact that because pollen is so small, it cannot be guaranteed that the wind will carry

each grain to a corresponding plant, thus an immense amount of pollen is produced to increase the chances of fertilization and the conception of a variety of offspring [3]. As previously stated there are many cases in which different environments place certain restraints on different organisms, and thus the organisms are required to formulate and employ mechanisms in order to combat these restraints. In the case of the of the origin of life, the hydrothermal vents were able to promote Serpentinization and FlavinBased Electron Bifurcation in order to create a energy efficient protein synthesis dependent on ion gradients, in an energy-expending and uninhabitable environment, which then fostered the formation of life. We also saw the employment of a mechanism to combat the natural restraints created by the environment I the case of the reproduction of plants, in which to combat the fact that they are stationary, they use the Catapult/Trebouchet Mechanism to distribute their pollen and facilitate their reproduction. References: [1] Piccirilli, J. (Associate Professor, Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago). Lecture in BIOS 20150, The University of Chicago. 2013 Apr 16. [2] Lane N, Martin W. The Origin of Membrane Bioenergetics. Cell Press. 2012: 151; 1406-16. [3] Hale, M. (Associate Professor Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, The University of Chicago). Lecture in BIOS 20150, The University of Chicago. 2013 Apr 18. Writing Topic Answer 1. The topic of the article is relationship and overlap between plant and animal biomechanics. (2nd paragraph) 2. The description and analysis of the motion, mechanics, and ballistics of plants. (3rd paragraph) 3. The authors of the article attempted to compile and outline current plant biomechanics research projects to present to the zoologists of the world. (3rd paragraph) 4. The objective of the review is to show that plant and animal biomechanics are not as different as they may seem, and thus the collaboration between plant and animal biomechanists should be encouraged. (3rd paragraph)