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I think the ostensibly scary subject here is mirror DNA or RNA, not anything-that-doesn't-self-replicate. > If bacteria haven't figured out how to use mirrorin
by notfed 2y ago
I think the ostensibly scary subject here is mirror DNA or RNA, not anything-that-doesn't-self-replicate.
> If bacteria haven't figured out how to use mirroring
It's unclear bacteria have ever "attempted" it. The synthesis of DNA is incredibly intricate and complex, and the set of proteins that do it are believed only to have ever evolved once. In order for a bacteria to have "attempted" this, it would have to evolve an entirely new set of proteins from scratch.
Personally I think a self-replicating photosynthetic cell with mirror DNA is as scary as self-replicating photosynthetic plastic.
- Aerroon 2y ago>It's unclear bacteria have ever "attempted" it. They have: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24647559/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24647559/
- aydyn 2y agoWhat's scary about mirrored DNA? DNA is information store proteins are actuators. > would have to evolve an entirely new set of proteins from scratch. Mirrored amino acids already exist in some organisms.
- notfed 2y ago> What's scary about mirrored DNA Exponential growth of a self-replicating cell with zero predators. > Mirrored amino acids already exist in some organisms. You can have an entire planet full of mirror amino acids if you want; that's not the hard part. The hard part is evolving the entire set of mirror transcription proteins.
- aydyn 2y agoWhere are you getting exponential growth without predators? That simply does not follow logically from any assumptions.
- Filligree 2y ago> self-replicating photosynthetic plastic Cellulose? It did cause quite the stir, I'll grant you.