7월 4일 KBS 월드라디오의 인터뷰 뉴스입니다.(영문)

Later on about the recently revealed secret of the origin
of life and evolution

2011-07-04

The human body is often refered to
as a small universe composed of 50 trillion cells. The network of biomolecular
interactions within those cells is very complex. But recently a Korean science
team found a way to reduce that complex network to a “kernel” that
represents core functions. Today we have Professor Cho Kwang-hyun of the Department
of Bio and Brain Engineering at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and
Technology to tell us more about the concept of the “kernel.” First, Professor Cho will tell us what a “kernel” is in bioengineering.



The term “kernel” has been used in computer science
and mathematics. In computer science, a “kernel” refers to the core part of an operation system, and in mathematics
it generally refers to the central element of a group. When we see a building
or an airplane, we first see the main framework and then additional structures
added to carry out auxiliary functions. That’s how we
see the molecular networks in living things; maybe everything evolved from some
core structure.



The “kernel” refers to the core
part of the vast and complex molecular network of a cell. A bleeding wound on
the human body tends to heal itself. That’s because the
signaling network within our cells send multiple, simultaneous signals to
various cells around the wound, as seen when tissue cells near the wound react.
Blood cells coagulate while skin cells multiply and form a scar. Human life is
sustained on a network in which 2,000 proteins generate some 8,000
interactions. Formerly, scientists could not identify all the network dynamics
because of its vastness. How did Professor Cho and his colleagues find a
solution?



Biochemical relationships on molecular interactions
have been explained to some degree. So we experimented with an algorithm for
individual molecular interactions based on those biochemical relationships. The
mathematical algorithm was applied to the entire molecular network. We applied
an arbitrary stimulus and saw how cells responded through a signaling network.
We used a computer simulation to find simpler representations of the
stimulus-and-response relationship. After a while we arrived at a signaling
network that could no longer be simplified. That simplest form is called a “kernel.”



In 2009 Professor Cho Kwang-hyun showed through a computer simulation how the
signaling networks within the cells incite different cellular responses. This
time he used a super computer to reenact the network’s
stimulus-response process within the cells. By the process of elimination, he
discovered the “kernel,” the most
basic cellular network. Why is the kernel, which exists in every living thing,
so important?



We found out that a kernel contains the genes
needed to sustain life. A kernel also contains so-called disease genes, which
indicate the propensity for certain diseases. The molecules found in the kernel
evolve slowly, which led us to believe that they are the first structure to be
built in the cells. More interestingly, a lot of target proteins sought out by
FDA-approved drugs were found in the kernel. So the molecules or proteins
inside the kernel that have not been targeted by drugs have the potential to
become the target proteins for new drugs.



It was found that a kernel contained three times the genes necessary for life
sustenance and disease-related genes than a non-kernel. The kernel is truly the
black box holding the secrets to life. Professor Cho and his fellow scientists
hope to shed light on how life is sustained and learn a way to control it, and
ultimately overcome diseases and further extend human life. 

라디오방송 듣기 : https://sbie.kaist.ac.kr/media/kernel_KBS_world_radio.wav