--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think you can say that life is a system…" description: "\"I think you can say that life is a system in which proteins and nucleic acids interact in ways that allow the structure to grow and reproduce. It's tha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b7/andrew-h-knoll-68526_ability_i-think-you-can-say-that-life-is-a-syste_540114.jpg" --- # I think you can say that life is a system in which… ![“I think you can say that life is a system in which proteins and nucleic acids interact in ways that allow the structure to grow and reproduce. It's that growth and reproduction, the ability to make more of yourself, that's important.” quote by Andrew H. Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b7/andrew-h-knoll-68526_ability_i-think-you-can-say-that-life-is-a-syste_540114.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b7/andrew-h-knoll-68526_ability_i-think-you-can-say-that-life-is-a-syste_540114.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b7/andrew-h-knoll-68526_ability_i-think-you-can-say-that-life-is-a-syste_540114.jpg) > “I think you can say that life is a system in which proteins and nucleic acids interact in ways that allow the structure to grow and reproduce. It's that growth and reproduction, the ability to make more of yourself, that's important.” Andrew H. Knoll ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is a system where proteins and nucleic acids interact, enabling growth and reproduction, which are essential. **In simple terms:** Life's core is growth and self-replication through molecular interaction. Key Takeaway Focus on processes that enable growth and replication. Themes biology growth replication Mood scientific inquisitive Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - research design - biotech development - education - policy making Key Concepts systems theory molecular biology Questions to Reflect On - How do molecular interactions drive evolution? - What implications does this have for synthetic biology? A Different Perspective Complex systems may have competing priorities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Proteins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proteins/) [Reproduction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reproduction/) [Structure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/structure/) [System](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/system/) ## Related quotes > [The important point is that since the origin of life belongs in the category of at-least-once phenomena, time is on its side. 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There is evidence that they are Involved In the processes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-pauling/the-nucleic-acids-as-constituents-of-living-organisms-are-comparable/) [Linus Pauling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-pauling/) > [In this atmosphere I soon became interested in nucleic acids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-sanger/in-this-atmosphere-i-soon-became-interested-in-nucleic-acids/) [Frederick Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-sanger/) > [“We humans look rather different from a tree. Without a doubt we perceive the world differently than a tree does. But down deep, at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-humans-look-rather-different-from-a-tree-without-a-doubt-we-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are, in a way, temporary ambulatory repositories for our nucleic acids. This does not deny our humanity; it does not prevent us from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/we-are-in-a-way-temporary-ambulatory-repositories-for-our-nucleic/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [The nucleic acids have considerable biological importance because of their role in cell growth and in the transmission of hereditary characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/severo-ochoa/the-nucleic-acids-have-considerable-biological-importance-because-of/) Severo Ochoa > [“the transforming principle could not be made of DNA because nucleic acids were all alike. As”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-cobb/the-transforming-principle-could-not-be-made-of-dna-because-nucleic/) [Matthew Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-cobb/) > [I follow an extremely strict diet counting my calorie intake, keeping in mind a very balanced ratio of proteins, carbs, and fats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rithvik-dhanjani/i-follow-an-extremely-strict-diet-counting-my-calorie-intake-keeping/) [Rithvik Dhanjani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rithvik-dhanjani/) ## More by Andrew H. Knoll > [If you look at the ecological circuitry of this planet, the ways in which materials like carbon or sulfur or phosphorous or nitrogen get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-h-knoll/if-you-look-at-the-ecological-circuitry-of-this-planet-the-ways-in/) Andrew H. 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