New Code Of Life

[beso]

Scientists have gone one step further in their project adding two new base letters to the DNA codes of life. They now have incorporated the new codes into the chromosomes of living bacteria.

The extra codes should allow 152 new artificial amino acids in addition to the twenty natural ones that make up the proteins of life.

This could ultimately enable countless number of new proteins to be synthesised by organisms. The potential for bioengineered substances is phenomenal.

Those who disagree with genetic engineering would surely be horrified.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25529-itsy-bitsy-bacterium-gets-a-bigger-genetic-code.html#.U2tLy_mSxfM

[jim360]

On the face of it, this could be one of the most important breakthroughs in Biology ever.

[beso]

And the biggest thing in materials science since nanotechnology.

[jomifl]

worrying... a bit like kids playing with matches ...in a powder magazine.

[jim360]

A powder magazine isolated from the rest of the world, with high levels of safety, and kids who understand how matches work, possibly.

[naomi24]

//kids who understand how matches work, possibly. //

..... but not necessarily the damage they can cause.

[jim360]

Well obviously we don't want to be complacent, and it's important to make sure that we're careful about this, but the idea that it's worrying seems a bit extreme. This isn't -- yet -- anything beyond work inside a laboratory, and therefore there's little reason to fear this as some sort of second wave of GM.

[beso]

It is definitely a second wave of genetic engineering. It comes on top of experiments that demonstrated artificial codon syntax using existing base letters.

In those experiments the code for "full stop" was replaced allowing it to be reused as a protein coding sequence.

What is surprising is how readily living organisms incorporate the completely new genetic dialects. Once inside they become available to evolution although like random mutations the vast majority tend to be either irrelevant or detrimental.

However increasing computer power is allowing simulations of complex protein folding such that the effect of changes in codons arrangements can be predicted.

This technology is snowballing as each new piece of the puzzle is found.

[Old_Geezer]

What they keep in the lab is one thing, what they release into the wild in a gung ho fashion is another.

[jomifl]

There is no such thing as a completely secure microbiological lab. One extremist and a bomb ...everything goes pear shaped.

[Peter Pedant]

This new subject is called synthetic biology innit ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_biology

[naomi24]

Jom, indeed there isn't.

[Colmc54]

I just hope their isolation procedures are A1.

I don't believe that interaction with terrestrial life is possible. However it may have already happened. Didn't a bearded lady win the Eurovision song contest?

If their work is secure and it helps cure illnesses that kill millions around the world every year then fine. But I'm not holding my breath as their 'thing' has not evolved as all the rest of have on this planet.

[solvitquick]

This is genetic manipulation moving too fast.
Besides the two synthetic but pairng bases have only been incorporated into DNA.
This new DNA has yet to go thro' the many steps to translation into protein -that part is hope not fact!
As a biochemist I hope this scheme fails ASAP.
Fools playing with a power greater than a thousand suns - life on earth itself!
SIQ.

[jim360]

Who hopes that such a scheme fails? Seriously?

A long way off anything significant beyond just a hint of the possible. But fearing such progress seems a throwback to some bizarre idea that "only God" can play with life. Stuff and nonsense. We've been doing it ever since we got here, in one way or another. I don't see that this is all that different really.

[sandyRoe]

Didn't the Foot n mouth virus escape from a secure lab in Purbright fairly recently?

[solvitquick]

Oh, well said jom.
Fleming only discovered penicillin (actually only its activity) because he screwed up his microbiology - he allowed his bacterial culture plate to be contaminated by mould! So much for expert human control of their own lab.
SIQ.

[solvitquick]

jim,
You are misinterpreting my words.
I object to THIS project only!
We do not understand the total effects of genetic manipulation of today's natural DNA and should not be technically playing with this stupid idea.
I'm all for progress and have played my part in it (safely) but scientists do not have licence to carry out experiments whose outcome could wipe out mankind via an unstoppable pandemic.
SIQ.

[solvitquick]

Dear Naomi,
I bet you love this one....scientists disagreeing indeed debating its limits:).
Luv,
SIQ.

[solvitquick]

To make my views crystal clear and avoid this becoming a jim360 versus me debate:
(a) Lke jim I am an enthusiast for scientific progress and am an optimist, unafraid of Well-Thought-Out research.
I'm a RETIRED scientist no longer active in the field by the way.
(b) Who needs "synthetic biology" - ty Peter Pedant for phrase - when we don't yet understand our current natural biology?
(c) Resources (people and financial) should be spent on solving mankind's real problems e.g. malaria, arthritis, asthma and autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis and so on and so on.
I'm not going to get into any long debates because that's where I stand and am immovable.
SIQ.

[Khandro]

In general most scientists spend their time looking at how[i and not enough at [i]why]. It is clear that homo sapiens will not last much longer- end of this century max. The major problems being escalating population, destruction of the very resources we are dependent on, and the self-created pollution which is fouling our nest, eg. there is an estimated 315 billion pounds of plastic in the oceans alone, and it was only invented within my lifetime.
The arrogance which leads these scientists to believe that we are in someway masters of the universe instead of a tiny insignificant particle of it, is certainly soon to be answered.
From the viewpoint of the planet and all life forms on it, the sooner we are despatched to oblivion the better, and the game is now on; such discoveries are but part of the Malthusian process of self-destruction which is inevitable because it is beginning to hinder the continuation of 'becoming' inherent in the enormous unknowable force, which lies behind everything within the universe.