--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Genes were no longer mysterious…" description: "\"“Genes were no longer mysterious embodiments of specificity, they were information – a code – that could be transmitted (another word from the electron..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e9/matthew-cobb-32875_programming_genes-were-no-longer-mysterious-embodime_1663519.jpg" --- # Genes were no longer mysterious embodiments of… ![“Genes were no longer mysterious embodiments of specificity, they were information – a code – that could be transmitted (another word from the electronic age), and the central hypothesis was that the code was composed of a series of letters – A, T, C and G.” quote by Matthew Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e9/matthew-cobb-32875_programming_genes-were-no-longer-mysterious-embodime_1663519.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e9/matthew-cobb-32875_programming_genes-were-no-longer-mysterious-embodime_1663519.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e9/matthew-cobb-32875_programming_genes-were-no-longer-mysterious-embodime_1663519.jpg) > ““Genes were no longer mysterious embodiments of specificity, they were information – a code – that could be transmitted (another word from the electronic age), and the central hypothesis was that the code was composed of a series of letters – A, T, C and G.”” [Matthew Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-cobb/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. DNA is a transmissible code made of four letters, demystifying genetics. **In simple terms:** Genes are a simple four‑letter code. Key Takeaway Recognize genetics as information. Themes science genetics information theory Mood analytical curious Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - research labs - education - medical diagnostics - personal genomics Key Concepts molecular biology genomic sequencing Questions to Reflect On - How does this view change our approach to disease? - What ethical issues arise from gene editing? A Different Perspective Complexity of gene regulation adds nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Central Hypothesis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/central-hypothesis-785064/) [Code Transmitted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/code-transmitted-785063/) [Electronic Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/electronic-age-785066/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Genes Longer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genes-longer-785065/) [Hypothesis Code](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hypothesis-code-785062/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) ## Related quotes > [There are just a host of problems born by the electronic age. Things we couldn't even conceive of. I was amused by the analogy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/there-are-just-a-host-of-problems-born-by-the-electronic-age-things/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [What is very little understood about the electronic age is that it angelizes man, disembodies him. Turns him into software.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/what-is-very-little-understood-about-the-electronic-age-is-that-it/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [In this electronic age we see ourselves being translated more and more into the form of information, moving toward the technological extension of consciousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/in-this-electronic-age-we-see-ourselves-being-translated-more-and/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [In the electronic age, books, words and reading are not likely to remain sufficiently authoritative and central to knowledge to justify literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/in-the-electronic-age-books-words-and-reading-are-not-likely-to/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [Privacy is one of the biggest problems in this new electronic age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-grove/privacy-is-one-of-the-biggest-problems-in-this-new-electronic-age/) [Andy Grove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-grove/) > [“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/) > [Perhaps no order of mammals presents us with so extraordinary a series of gradations as this \[step by step, from humans to apes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/perhaps-no-order-of-mammals-presents-us-with-so-extraordinary-a/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [The fact -- not theory -- that evolution has occurred and the Darwinian theory as to how it occurred have become so confused in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/the-fact-not-theory-that-evolution-has-occurred-and-the-darwinian/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [Guns have little or nothing to do with juvenile violence. The causes of youth violence are working parents who put their kids into daycare,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-delay/guns-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-juvenile-violence-the-causes/) [Tom DeLay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-delay/) > [We became Homo sapiens not that long ago, from the scientific perspective, and we've retained a lot of our beast nature. We've done all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangechi-mutu/we-became-homo-sapiens-not-that-long-ago-from-the-scientific/) [Wangechi Mutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangechi-mutu/) > [“Genetics is a science full of gods, Mr. Sanchez.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-luiselli/genetics-is-a-science-full-of-gods-mr-sanchez/) [Valeria Luiselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-luiselli/) > [If the polymer chain assumes a helicoidal conformation in the crystalline state, and if it does not contain asymmetric carbon atoms, it can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giulio-natta/if-the-polymer-chain-assumes-a-helicoidal-conformation-in-the/) [Giulio Natta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giulio-natta/) > [“A question for Christians who accept evolution: When did we gain a "soul"? Did Homo habilis have a soul? Homo ergaster? Did God only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-g-mcafee/a-question-for-christians-who-accept-evolution-when-did-we-gain-a/) [David G. McAfee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-g-mcafee/) > [At the deepest level, all living things that have ever been looked at have the same DNA code. And many of the same genes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/at-the-deepest-level-all-living-things-that-have-ever-been-looked-at/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [I rap when I'm rich. I rap when I'm broke. I rap when I'm bullshit in the street. I rap about only having one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/i-rap-when-i-m-rich-i-rap-when-i-m-broke-i-rap-when-i-m-bullshit-in/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) ## More by Matthew Cobb > [“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/) > [“DNA composition was constant in all tissues of a given species, but each species had its own profile.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-cobb/dna-composition-was-constant-in-all-tissues-of-a-given-species-but/) [Matthew Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-cobb/) > [“The genetic code is a product of biology and is messy, illogical and inelegant. It is highly redundant, but to bewilderingly varied degrees: one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-cobb/the-genetic-code-is-a-product-of-biology-and-is-messy-illogical-and/) [Matthew Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-cobb/) > [“Wiener and Rosenblueth showed that purposeful, goal-directed behaviour can be seen in organisms and machines, and that it operates through what is known as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-cobb/wiener-and-rosenblueth-showed-that-purposeful-goal-directed-behaviour/) [Matthew Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-cobb/) > [“As Jacob put it in 1977, natural selection does not design, it tinkers with what is available.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-cobb/as-jacob-put-it-in-1977-natural-selection-does-not-design-it-tinkers/) [Matthew Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-cobb/) > [“In fact they are historical, carrying the baggage of their evolutionary past, and have not been designed at all. They are often far from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-cobb/in-fact-they-are-historical-carrying-the-baggage-of-their/) [Matthew Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-cobb/) > [“In the discussion, Gulland was asked about the possibility that a DNA molecule might be a helix, held together by the presence of evenly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-cobb/in-the-discussion-gulland-was-asked-about-the-possibility-that-a-dna/) [Matthew Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-cobb/) > [“By the end of the 1940s, support for the hypothesis that DNA had a fundamental role in heredity had grown much stronger.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-cobb/by-the-end-of-the-1940s-support-for-the-hypothesis-that-dna-had-a/) [Matthew Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-cobb/) > [“In typically generous fashion, Crick was offering Nirenberg the opportunity to step into history as the man who had cracked the genetic code.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-cobb/in-typically-generous-fashion-crick-was-offering-nirenberg-the/) [Matthew Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-cobb/) > [“Every result converged on the same conclusion: the transforming principle was composed of DNA. The discussion section of the article outlined the genetic context…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-cobb/every-result-converged-on-the-same-conclusion-the-transforming/) [Matthew Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-cobb/) > [“Avery had described one of the most momentous discoveries in the history of science, and no one could think of anything to say.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-cobb/avery-had-described-one-of-the-most-momentous-discoveries-in-the/) [Matthew Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-cobb/) > [“By the end of the 1940s, it was widely known that the levels of protein in the transforming principle were effectively zero.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-cobb/by-the-end-of-the-1940s-it-was-widely-known-that-the-levels-of/) [Matthew Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-cobb/) > [“If the adaptor hypothesis were true (and it was), this meant that the role of DNA and RNA would be reduced to simply carrying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-cobb/if-the-adaptor-hypothesis-were-true-and-it-was-this-meant-that-the/) [Matthew Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-cobb/) > [“Part of the problem was that no one knew exactly how a cell took a nucleic acid sequence and turned it into a blob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-cobb/part-of-the-problem-was-that-no-one-knew-exactly-how-a-cell-took-a/) [Matthew Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-cobb/) [Explore all 15 Matthew Cobb quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-cobb/) ## More Evolution quotes > [I rap when I'm rich. I rap when I'm broke. I rap when I'm bullshit in the street. I rap about only having one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/i-rap-when-i-m-rich-i-rap-when-i-m-broke-i-rap-when-i-m-bullshit-in/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) > [At the deepest level, all living things that have ever been looked at have the same DNA code. And many of the same genes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/at-the-deepest-level-all-living-things-that-have-ever-been-looked-at/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“A question for Christians who accept evolution: When did we gain a "soul"? Did Homo habilis have a soul? Homo ergaster? Did God only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-g-mcafee/a-question-for-christians-who-accept-evolution-when-did-we-gain-a/) [David G. McAfee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-g-mcafee/) > [If the polymer chain assumes a helicoidal conformation in the crystalline state, and if it does not contain asymmetric carbon atoms, it can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giulio-natta/if-the-polymer-chain-assumes-a-helicoidal-conformation-in-the/) [Giulio Natta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giulio-natta/) > [“Genetics is a science full of gods, Mr. Sanchez.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-luiselli/genetics-is-a-science-full-of-gods-mr-sanchez/) [Valeria Luiselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-luiselli/) > [We became Homo sapiens not that long ago, from the scientific perspective, and we've retained a lot of our beast nature. We've done all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangechi-mutu/we-became-homo-sapiens-not-that-long-ago-from-the-scientific/) [Wangechi Mutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangechi-mutu/) > [Guns have little or nothing to do with juvenile violence. The causes of youth violence are working parents who put their kids into daycare,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-delay/guns-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-juvenile-violence-the-causes/) [Tom DeLay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-delay/) > [The fact -- not theory -- that evolution has occurred and the Darwinian theory as to how it occurred have become so confused in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/the-fact-not-theory-that-evolution-has-occurred-and-the-darwinian/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [Perhaps no order of mammals presents us with so extraordinary a series of gradations as this \[step by step, from humans to apes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/perhaps-no-order-of-mammals-presents-us-with-so-extraordinary-a/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [Evolution happens in jumps, very rapidly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-ferguson/evolution-happens-in-jumps-very-rapidly/) [Marilyn Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-ferguson/) > [The true nature of soul is right knowledge, right faith and right conduct. The soul, so long as it is subject to transmigration, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virchand-gandhi/the-true-nature-of-soul-is-right-knowledge-right-faith-and-right/) [Virchand Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virchand-gandhi/) > [“Toshiaki learned that all living organisms were governed by their DNA. He was impressed by perfection of this system.Why did existence have the ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hideaki-sena/toshiaki-learned-that-all-living-organisms-were-governed-by-their-dna/) [Hideaki Sena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hideaki-sena/) > [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [I'm all about evolution. I'm the first person to judge myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-weeknd/i-m-all-about-evolution-i-m-the-first-person-to-judge-myself/) [The Weeknd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-weeknd/) > [The next evolution of content marketing is not more content; it's better distribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-penn/the-next-evolution-of-content-marketing-is-not-more-content-it-s/) [Chris Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-penn/) [Browse all 6,185 Evolution quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Genes were no longer mysterious embodiments of specificity, they were information – a code – that could be transmitted (another word from the electronic age), and the central hypothesis was that the code was composed of a series of letters – A, T, C and G.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Matthew Cobb" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-cobb/genes-were-no-longer-mysterious-embodiments-of-specificity-they-were/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Evolution" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-cobb/genes-were-no-longer-mysterious-embodiments-of-specificity-they-were/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e9/matthew-cobb-32875_programming_genes-were-no-longer-mysterious-embodime_1663519.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e9/matthew-cobb-32875_programming_genes-were-no-longer-mysterious-embodime_1663519.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e9/matthew-cobb-32875_programming_genes-were-no-longer-mysterious-embodime_1663519.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Genes were no longer mysterious embodiments of specificity, they were information – a code – that could be…” — Matthew Cobb", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Matthew Cobb", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-cobb/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Genes were no longer mysterious embodiments...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-cobb/genes-were-no-longer-mysterious-embodiments-of-specificity-they-were/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-cobb/genes-were-no-longer-mysterious-embodiments-of-specificity-they-were/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```