FIGURE 79. Tobacco Mosaic Virus.
[From A. Lehninger, Biochemistry ( New York:
Worth Publishers, 1976).]Achilles: What is the Tobacco Mosaic Virus? What are ribosomes?
Crab: I can't quite say, for I'm a total dunce when it comes to biology. All I
know is what I gathered from that Dialogue. There, it said that To-
bacco Mosaic Viruses are tiny cigarette-like objects that cause a disease
in tobacco plants.
Achilles: Cancer?
Crab: No, not exactly, but-
Achilles: What next? A tobacco plant smoking, and getting cancer! Serves
it right!
Crab: I believe you've jumped to a hasty conclusion, Achilles. Tobacco
plants don't SMOKE these "cigarettes". The nasty little "cigarettes" just
come and attack them, uninvited.
Achilles: I see. Well, now that I know all about Tobacco Mosaic Viruses,
tell me what a ribosome is.
Crab: Ribosomes are apparently some sort of subcellular entities which
take a message in one form and convert it into a message in another
form.
Achilles: Something like a teeny tape recorder or phonograph?
Crab: Metaphorically, I suppose so. Now the thing which caught my eye
was a line where this one exceedingly droll character mentions the fact
that ribosomes-as well as Tobacco Mosaic Viruses and certain other
bizarre biological structures-possess "the baffling ability to spontane-
ously self-assemble". Those were his exact words.
Achilles: That was one of his droller lines, I take it.Edifying Thoughts of a Tobacco Smoker 485