Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 15, 2026

Author Spotlight: Collective Behavioral Analysis of the Nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans
Published on: August 25, 2023
A faith in the coherence of the living world
1Institut Pasteur, 25-28, rue du Docteur-Roux, 75724 Paris cedex 15, France.
Abstract:
In this review, I compare the development of Monod's intellectual leadership in two fields, the regulation of enzyme biosynthesis and the control of enzymatic activity. I characterize the comings and goings between his scrupulous analysis of a given model system, his ability to compare the outcome with very distant experimental results, his audacity in formulating, then a physical interpretation of this convergence through a unifying mechanism. Finally, I briefly discuss how his attitude has durably impacted the whole field of molecular biology.
Related Concept Videos
Chirality in Nature
Characteristics of Life
Functions of Life
Metabolism
The basic function of an organism is to consume energy and molecules in foods, convert some of it into fuel for movement, sustain body functions, and build and maintain body structures. There are two types of reactions that accomplish this: anabolism and catabolism.
Anabolism is the process whereby...
Levels of Organization
Molecules Are Composed of Atoms, and Biomolecules Are Assembled from Molecules:
The most basic levels include atoms, molecules, and biomolecules. Atoms, the smallest unit of ordinary matter, are composed of a nucleus and electrons. Molecules...
Biodiversity and Human Values
Three-Domain System of Life

