V Frontiers: The basics of biology: the genome or the cell?
Genome-centered biology emphasizes the role of genetic information encoded within DNA as the primary determinant of an organism's traits and functions. Meanwhile, cell-centered biology underscores the importance of the cell as the basic unit of life, focusing on its complex structures, functions, and interactions within the environment. Yet, contemporary understanding acknowledges the inseparable relationship between genes and cells, recognizing that genetic instructions from the genome are executed within the dynamic environment of the cell. Is the integration of both perspectives possible? Could we consider the interplay between genetic information and cellular dynamics in shaping life's intricacies? Is there a solid departure point or is it just a lack of knowledge?