It's Alive! Alive!

[3113]

The researchers constructed a bacterium's "genetic software" and transplanted it into a host cell. The resulting microbe then looked and behaved like the species "dictated" by the synthetic DNA. The advance, published in Science, has been hailed as a scientific landmark, but critics say there are dangers posed by synthetic organisms.

Dr Craig Venter says yeast, chemicals, and computers were used by scientists
The researchers hope eventually to design bacterial cells that will produce medicines and fuels and even absorb greenhouse gases. The team was led by Dr Craig Venter of the J Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) in Maryland and California. He and his colleagues had previously made a synthetic bacterial genome, and transplanted the genome of one bacterium into another.

Now, the scientists have put both methods together, to create what they call a "synthetic cell", although only its genome is truly synthetic. Dr Venter likened the advance to making new software for the cell.

Full story here.

 

[oggbashan]

Dr Frankenstein is vindicated at last!

Og

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I thought Usual Suspects were artificial life that escaped from the Calcutta sewers.

 

[Handley_Page]

A lot of science fiction writers dreamt this one up in the 50s.
Let us fervently hope that the outcome is not as predicted.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Maybe its a Limey visitor; has anyone seen the UKs Special Olympics mascots?

 

[Handley_Page]

Maybe its a Limey visitor; has anyone seen the UKs Special Olympics mascots?

The film of them is very clever. That's as far as most of us are prepared to go. We;ll just wait and see the real thing (at a doubtless inflated price).

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I think the Brits oughta recruit Mister Hanky for their mascot.

 

[TE999]

Q. How do clones celebrate Mother's Day?

A. Watch the tube.

 

[JackLuis]

Quick! Rig a microbe to convert oil to, I dno'know, shrimp gumbo.