A DNA repair molecule’s constant operation gives new meaning to the scripture that declares that God supports us “from one moment to another.” (Mosiah 2:21) The second article in the “It Was a Miracle” series.

The final Book of Mormon prophet, Moroni, asks a pointed question when he proclaimed “I will show unto you a God of miracles… and it is that same God who created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. … Who shall say that it was not a miracle that by his word the heaven and the earth should be; and by the power of his word man was created of the dust of the earth?” (Mormon 9:11, 17)

We live in that day where the miracle of creation and the amazing adaptability, design and progression of living beings and man himself is attributed by many to arise exclusively from a source of pseudo-random mutations: without purpose, without a plan, without intelligence and definitely without miracles. 1

Joseph Smith testifies of a God of miracles, where “the light which is in all things, gives life to all things” (D&C 88:13) “upholding all things by the word of his power.” (Hebrews 1:3)

DNA:  The Controlling Molecule of Life

It was only 56 years ago last April that James D. Watson and Francis Crick published their article noting the discovery of the double helix structure of the deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA molecule. 2

The DNA information code with its variable length double helix shape being split to make a working copy. 3

DNA is the key controlling physical molecule in living beings on earth. Since these discoveries, not only have we been able to verify that the proposed structure for this molecule that stores genetic information was correct, but we have even been able to extract out the complete sequence for the three billion DNA letter code for humans. 4 This wonderful DNA molecule, present in trillions of tiny cells in our body, microscopic cells, if unwound and stretched out would be about two meters long! 5

DNA ligase enzyme repairing a strand of DNA, needed 1,000 to 1,000,000 times a day in each cell.

This illustration shows the enzyme called DNA ligase repairing a break in a strand of DNA--color has been added to emphasize the repair enzyme’s molecules and shape. These breaks occur at the rate of 1,000 to 1,000,000 molecular lesions in each cell, every day. 6  It reminds me of the railroad track maintenance vehicles that we see from time to time keeping the railroad lines open and repaired.

It is almost unbelievable to me to see this example of how life is built upon a foundation that is so fragile.  Without this correction program constantly running, life would cease.  In an excellent example of “which came first, the chicken or the egg?” the structure of DNA ligase, essential to maintain the DNA molecule, is also specified in the DNA information code. In other words, the formula for the repair formula is found in the thing it needs to repair. 
How even more unlikely could it be for a system this fragile to come together by chance.  It is like a specially designed clean room in a microchip manufacturing center where dust must be kept to a minimum or the chips will not work. In other words, how can you build them in a clean room without building the clean room first? Those that believe that a tornado going through a junkyard can randomly create a 747, complete with microchips, don't understand that the inside of a tornado is not dust free enough to make chips. 7 

To me, this repair molecule for the long DNA strands is a powerful witness of the hand of God in creating and sustaining the universe.  It gives more meaning to the scripture:  “I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants. (Mosiah 2:21 emphasis by author) 

Complicated track maintenance vehicles such as this one from The Fillmore and Western Railroad in California keep the railroad lines open. 8

Where Do You Draw the Line?

I have talked with many Latter-day Saints about the miracle of life and the deficiencies of the Darwinian theory of evolution to explain life.  I emphasize that Joseph Smith’s restored knowledge of physical matter, spiritual matter and intelligence nullifies any need for dead physical matter to become alive.  I have been pleasantly surprised to see unanimous agreement on that point.  However, then, many say, “after creating life, don’t you think that God lets evolution take over for the details of how life progresses after His work?”
In a typical discussion, I then ask “where is the line?” Where is the boundary between the foundations of life and where evolution takes over? What about this crucial DNA repair mechanism?  Did its sophisticated programming evolve?  “No” is the reply. 

“Well,” proceeding with another question, “what about the 64 place amino acid table?"  It is a perfect design, going from RNA letter sequences to the amino acid building blocks of proteins including start and ending codes.” This table maps the letters of the DNA/RNA information code into the basic meanings to be expressed in this code. After looking at that table, people I have talked to will say: “Well, God must have been involved with that too.” 

Amino acid codon table using three bases at a time of the RNA molecule (partner molecule of DNA), with 64 slots, no holes, start and stop control sequences--a perfect design!  Note that methionine (AUG for RNA or ATG for DNA) is always the start of a gene protein sequence which then has a “start” amino acid as well as three special control codes that only indicate the ending of the protein sequence defined by the DNA gene inside of the amino acid code, another very sophisticated design feature. 9

RNA codon table arranged by amino acid instead of RNA nucleotide sequence. 10

This kind of a discussion is a challenge for many that believe firmly in evolution as it is everywhere taught and referenced in our modern society.  They may begin to see how perfectly the foundation structures of life operate, are upheld and how quickly the mutation part of the theory of evolution is left behind as a possible explanation.  And yet, since evolution is everywhere promoted as a universal natural law, they often still think that evolution “must be part of the correct explanation.” 11

From Basic Cell Engine to Language

Life is everywhere around us, complicated and beautiful, from the small inside of the cell to the highly sophisticated human thinking processes.   Especially in the context of Joseph Smith’s revelations and modern information theory, the Darwinian theory of evolution as taught today is not even close in explaining the miracles of life.  The more we understand about life, the more I believe we will realize that there is so much more to life’s foundation and progress than this theory.

We are discussing the very foundation of life, the DNA code.  We have not even moved beyond the basic cell engine that executes, as it were, this information code of life.  If this basic engine is already so far above the capabilities of the unintelligent mutation component of the Darwinian theory of evolution, then what comes next will only be more and more impossible for that component to explain.  

In my work in software development, I have worked with all different levels of programming, from low level assembly language such as scanning off a single word from an electronic file and converting upper case letters to lower case letters, to high level languages where a single instruction or subroutine call might trigger advanced processes like creating a giant multifaceted full text index of all of the patents issued by the U. S. patent office during 30 years.  As we look at any of these levels of programming, I am not trained to say:  “I wonder how this code evolved out of nothing, or randomly built upon itself to create this more complex module?”  That would be ludicrous.  I would know that the program code was created by myself or other software engineers, by the active use of intelligence to solve a problem or create some useful process.

From the foundations of DNA to the pinnacles of language as used by God and His sons and daughters--all these things require a spiritual and intelligent dimension of life.

God and His Spirit Influence the Processes of Life

As we talk about these foundations of biological life, God’s questions to Job may be appropriate: 

“Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.  Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?  Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;  When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” (Job 38:4-7)

We can be assured that indeed, God not only had something to do with the foundations of life, but that He was actively involved as He has boldly proclaimed.  Even now, He “[upholds] all things by the word of his power,” (Hebrews 3:3) “which giveth life to all things.” (D&C 88:13)