What is life? annual lecture

Speaker: Giulio Superti-Furga,Scientific Director of CeMM, the Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Science and Professor of Medical Systems Biology at the Medical University of Vienna. ​ Presented by the School of Biochemistry and Immunology All living systems, from cells to organs and organisms, exist as islands of highly organized molecules within a chemically simpler environment, which can be either amicable or potentially toxic. Lipid-based membranes enclose the genetic material of the living system, preserving the identity of the organism but creating an internal chemical milieu compatible with the numerous metabolic reactions necessary to sustain life. Facilitating the exchange of chemical materials are proteins known as transporters, which traverse the membrane. In the human genome, approximately 1,500 distinct membrane transporters have been identified, collectively referred to as the 'transportome.' These transporters play a fundamental role in orchestrating the absorption of nutrients, lipids, ions, hormones, neurotransmitters, vitamins, xenobiotics, and water essential for cellular function and energetics. They also handle the expulsion of excessive or harmful molecules. While the biochemical specifics and functions of each member of the human transportome are gradually coming to light, our understanding of how these different transporters harmonize their activities in response to the specific metabolic demands of individual cellular states, and how this drives particular cellular functions, remains limited. Crucially, the function of transporters is coordinated across diverse cells within an organism, critical for the metabolic integration required for overall physiology. Remarkably, the genomes of bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals all employ similar blueprints to produce these transporters. Considering that our dry mass is derived from nutrients sourced from both plants and animals, one can conceive of life as a grand chemical exchange transpiring across the ecosystem, facilitated by these membrane transporters. In the future, gaining a deeper understanding of the mechanisms governing the movement of chemical substances to and from the environment will enable us to recognize our profound interdependence with our surroundings, underscoring the imperative of considering human health as an integral component of planetary health.