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the isolated DNA molecule is cleaved from the larger chromosomal DNA molecule by enzymatically cutting it off at each end and slightly altering the terminal ami
by mbreese 14y ago
the isolated DNA molecule is cleaved from the larger chromosomal DNA molecule by enzymatically cutting it off at each end and slightly altering the terminal amino acid groups
If that's what they patented, then I think we're all in the clear... DNA doesn't have amino acids. Whew! And here I thought a court might have made a terrible mistake in a ruling about something that they didn't fully understand.
- rayiner 14y agoThe "amino acids" language is from the blogger, not the opinion. Also, without trying to defend the decision--the judge who wrote the opinion (Alan Lourie) has a PhD in chemistry and worked as a chemist and scientist for Monsanto and Wyeth.
- doktrin 14y agoThis is an interesting point, and this very background may have found its way into the ruling. Specifically, that the judge has a background in chemistry and directly speaks to the difference in perspective between biologists and chemists : "We recognize that biologists may think of molecules in terms of their uses, but genes are in fact materials having a chemical nature and, as such, are best described in patents by their structures rather than by their functions" [1] The blogger goes on to state in more plain terms : "In other words, this ruling affirms that molecular biology is, in fact, chemistry, if you want to look at it that way." [1]http://pipeline.corante.com/archives/2012/08/17/the_myriad_gene_patent_case_trickier_than_you_might_think.php http://pipeline.corante.com/archives/2012/08/17/the_myriad_g...
- mbreese 14y agoThis makes perfect sense... I could easily see how a chemist could come to one conclusion, whereas a biologist would come to a completely different conclusion. In this case, I think the judge's chemistry training actually worked against him.