Researching Creation

February 06, 2009

Information Theory / RNA Editing and Data Encapsulation Formats

JB

I was thinking about data encapsulation today.  In a computer program, if I want to pass the words "hello world" to a website, I can't just stick it in the URL - spaces aren't allowed in URLs - they serve a different function there.  Instead, in URLs, spaces get translated to %20s, so I would pass it as "hello%20world".  Different formats have different rules for encapsulation, so if I want to take a single set of characters, and move them from one system to another, it is possible I may have to encapsulate/de-encapsulate multiple times. 

So, I was thinking about this with regards to RNA editing.  Before I start to make this analogy, let me start by saying the instances of RNA editing I know about don't seem to be working in this way.  Nonetheless, I think it is an interesting angle to research to be sure.

What I am wondering is if there are times when the DNA code might be "encapsulated" in a slightly different format, which then gets de-encapsulated by RNA editing to be passed on to the next phase.  In computers, this happens when additional control information must be passed on using the same alphabet.  In our previous example, in the control system alphabet for web requests, the space has a special use.  Therefore, if we need to use a space within the URL itself, we have to encapsulate it so that it doesn't get confused with its special use.

Anyway, just wondering out loud (a) if this happens at all, and (b) whether it occurs through RNA editing or some other mechanism, and (c) what are the different levels of control information and how are they designated.