IUBio

Science in the News

Kenneth 'pawl' Collins k.p.collins at worldnet.att.net
Thu Jan 16 08:14:56 EST 2003


"With Worm Experiments, Scientists Turn Off Genes", By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/15/science/15WEB_WORM.html

"In the new method, British researchers added genetic material from a roundworm to bacteria. Then they fed the bioengineered bacteria to the worms. The worms' immune systems recognized the genetic material carried by bacteria as foreign and destroyed that sequence in their own genetic coding. In doing so, the worms rapidly turned themselves into knockout versions." 

"The technique takes advantage of the roundworm's natural defenses against viruses."

"The method can be used for many genetic experiments beyond obesity. "

"`We can inactivate hundreds of worm genes in a day,' said Julie Ahringer, a Wellcome Trust researcher. `It's amazing.`"

This stuff shows considerable promise with respect to the "standing-wave genetics" stuff that I've discussed in the past [Groups Google [tm] should on "standing-wave genetics" should get some hits], but it's precisely because of standing-wave genetics that it must be rigorously controlled until the subtle groupwise interactions among 'the genes' is worked out.

It's a bit hard to do such in a round worm because one round-worm behavior looks much like another round worm behavior, even though there's round-worm-relavant stuff that's altering in-there.

But it should not be applied to higher organisms until a feel for the standing-wave genetics stuff is gotten with C. elegans.

These matters are analogous to what happened in Physics 1890-1915. There is a need to get the Fundamentals Correct before setting out upon an Error "just because we can".

Other matter:

I cancelled my Internet account during the early-morning on the 15th, but found that I had to reinstate it in order to address the legal action that's being taken against the University of Michigan with respect to its Courageous stance on behalf of those who bear the scars of their Ancestors being forcibly denied Education.

So, I resolved to just cancel my bank account, in order to access my last $50, in order to post the msg, and have added the above post while I'm at it.

I've got one day, before I accrue the debt for another month online. Perhaps, I'll try to beat that deadline.

Anyway...

K. P. Collins
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