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Gene-edited cattle have a major screwup in their DNA

jelliclesfarm 7y ago
Question: shouldn’t we work towards gene editing ourselves? Isn’t that more logical?
rolph 7y ago
DNA is only one of the formats to convey the information. there somewhat more to the picture than the sequence of base pairs in a region of DNA. analogy- we have so far decyphered binary code and declared that we may now inject bytes into the data structure. we actually know very little about how the DNA sequence and structural topology interacts with the rest of biology. not only do we have the genome, but we have the transcriptome, the proteome, and the exocyteome. those are just the information systems that have been recognized and characterized in part. Virus may actually be a selected form of horizontal gene transfer that has escaped the selective factors constraining it and now has a destiny of its own. In short we need to actually know what we are doing before we tinker with our own information systems. I suppose slaughter bound livestock are a better place to start as they are being raised to be eaten and do not have to be retired to convalescent facility for retired research animals to live as an abberent organism. ethics is a tough nut for sure, but making a major mistake that ends up escaping sequestration is a lot tougher.
- gus_massa 7y ago
  How is this related to the problem in the article? They insertes successfully some gene, but they also inserted more genes by mistake. The additional genes are the problem, not something unrelated like the "structural topology".
  - rolph 7y ago
    structural topology is highly related to gene function, and also is part of what is being manipulated during the process. please tell me about trans- factors or cis- elements. please tell me about how we may choose one recognition sequence region from another when they are identical base pair sequences but are many Kb.p.'s up or downstream of the desired target sequence.
    - gus_massa 7y ago
      They used a plasmid. The plasmid had the gene they wanted and some gene to resist antibiotics. Both got copied. No topological problems.
      - rolph 7y ago
        i am acutely aware of what a plasmid is and how it is used. when you employ plasmid transfection there is at least 1000 iterations of the plasmid usually much more. the problem is topological. there is sequence interaction occuring at homologous non target sequences with topological state that allows access to the non target sequence. If you think there is a basis for the argument that topology has nothing to do with it then you should write a grant proposal and experimental thesis. That thesis, if it passes preliminary peer review would be worth a PhD, as well as being a likely candidate for the nobel prize should it be independently confirmed. Such a discovery would turn Molecular Biology on its head. BTW the modified gene [as in 1 gene per plasmid] is not copied, it is actually inserted [spliced] into the strand, it is not copied, and this is a VERY topologically dependent process.

Question: shouldn’t we work towards gene editing ourselves? Isn’t that more logical?

DNA is only one of the formats to convey the information. there somewhat more to the picture than the sequence of base pairs in a region of DNA. analogy- we have so far decyphered binary code and declared that we may now inject bytes into the data structure. we actually know very little about how the DNA sequence and structural topology interacts with the rest of biology. not only do we have the genome, but we have the transcriptome, the proteome, and the exocyteome. those are just the information systems that have been recognized and characterized in part. Virus may actually be a selected form of horizontal gene transfer that has escaped the selective factors constraining it and now has a destiny of its own. In short we need to actually know what we are doing before we tinker with our own information systems. I suppose slaughter bound livestock are a better place to start as they are being raised to be eaten and do not have to be retired to convalescent facility for retired research animals to live as an abberent organism. ethics is a tough nut for sure, but making a major mistake that ends up escaping sequestration is a lot tougher.

gus_massa 7y ago
How is this related to the problem in the article? They insertes successfully some gene, but they also inserted more genes by mistake. The additional genes are the problem, not something unrelated like the "structural topology".
- rolph 7y ago
  structural topology is highly related to gene function, and also is part of what is being manipulated during the process. please tell me about trans- factors or cis- elements. please tell me about how we may choose one recognition sequence region from another when they are identical base pair sequences but are many Kb.p.'s up or downstream of the desired target sequence.
  - gus_massa 7y ago
    They used a plasmid. The plasmid had the gene they wanted and some gene to resist antibiotics. Both got copied. No topological problems.
    - rolph 7y ago
      i am acutely aware of what a plasmid is and how it is used. when you employ plasmid transfection there is at least 1000 iterations of the plasmid usually much more. the problem is topological. there is sequence interaction occuring at homologous non target sequences with topological state that allows access to the non target sequence. If you think there is a basis for the argument that topology has nothing to do with it then you should write a grant proposal and experimental thesis. That thesis, if it passes preliminary peer review would be worth a PhD, as well as being a likely candidate for the nobel prize should it be independently confirmed. Such a discovery would turn Molecular Biology on its head. BTW the modified gene [as in 1 gene per plasmid] is not copied, it is actually inserted [spliced] into the strand, it is not copied, and this is a VERY topologically dependent process.