The Misunderstood Gene

With all the hype over the Human Genome Project, gene therapies, and their ilk, it would seem that all we need to know about ourselves is packed into the coils of our DNA. Not so, says biologist Michel Morange of the École Normale Supérieure. In fact, he believes that the role of the gene has been vastly overstated. His brief, accessible book, The Misunderstood Gene, lays out his thinking on the nature of the cell and the complex choreography of proteins that makes life happen. Calling DNA a kind of memory used by proteins to reproduce themselves is a brilliant inversion of the paradigm that ruled over much of 20th-century biology and helps us transcend the too-facile hierarchical computer metaphor. Morange applies his penetrating common sense to controversies surrounding genetic modification, arguing that many of our beliefs won't hold up to a moment's critical thought:

If a simple technique could eliminate the allele responsible for Huntington disease from the human genome overnight, it is unlikely that many tears would be shed over this impoverishment of human genetic diversity. Similarly, given that many infectious diseases have been conquered or are in retreat, the benefit that mutations such as that which causes cystic fibrosis could provide to heterozygote carriers no longer exists. All that remains is the catastrophic effect of the mutation in affected homozygotes.

Matthew Cobb's translation is quite good--rarely will the reader stumble over an awkward phrasing or odd construction. Still, some familiarity with current thinking in cellular biology is essential to get the most from The Misunderstood Gene. Those looking for the next Selfish Gene-style slap in the face will be disappointed. Morange treats his paradigm shift as a near fait accompli and doesn't go out of his way to antagonize the establishment. If anything, this strategy makes his work more convincing and, ultimately, more satisfying. --Rob Lightner