Artificial Bases Added to DNA

holy_calamity writes "Researchers have successfully added two 'unnatural' DNA letters to the code of life. They created two artificial base pairs that are treated as normal by an enzyme that replicates and fixes DNA inside cells. This raises the prospect of engineering life forms with genetic code not possible within nature, allowing new kinds of genetic engineering."

I, for one...

[Kagura]

All your artificial base are belong to these researchers.

Let me guess

[should_be_linear]

Researchers from KFC (tm) ?

New movie

[topherhenk]

They can now finally make the sequel to Gattaca:

Sagtacy.

Furries

[kidsizedcoffin]

Great, we're one step closer to furries, someone call Lowtax.

Re:On the topic of "whatcouldpossiblygowrong"

[AKAImBatman]

Have we really become such fat lazy luddites that we will reject anything we do not understand, on the basis of an infinitesmally-small risk to our (relatively) decadent and luxurious life?

That's a great plan! What could possibly go wrong?

(Ow! Ow! Ow! I'm just kidding! Ow!)

Re:Next, DIAA demands repatriation...

[britneys 9th husband]

We already have something like this. You know all those uptight restrictions against sex that the religious fundamentalists are always going on about? God put those in the Bible as a sort of DRM to control the copying of His DNA that He owns.

Re:It's Alive!

[$RANDOMLUSER]

My dream of having two wankers is here!

George Bush and Dick Cheney?

Re:On the topic of "whatcouldpossiblygowrong"

[cyphercell]

Do we really only perceive biologists as madmen who want to do evil experiments for the heck of it?

My sister's a microbiologist and I like to say that, Yes, they are all madmen (and women) that want to do evil experiments. (please don't tell her I said that, puhleaze!)

Re:Furries

[Malevolent Tester]

I eagerly await proper human-animal hybrids, albeit only for the opportunity to make a joke about the right to bear arms.

DNA researchers get to "Second Base" pair

[erroneus]

...sounds like they're making some kind of social progress.

Since it hasn't been posted yet........

[Anonymous Coward]

"There what you call a survivor?" "A few cells are still alive, it's more than I need." "Could you at least idenfity it?" "We tried. But the computer went off the charts. You see, normal human beings have 40 DNA memo groups, which is more than enough for any species to perpetuate itself. This has 200,000... The cell is for the lack of a better word... perfect." "This is a normal human DNA chain. Ok? You, me, anybody, right? Watch this... The compositional elements of this DNA chain are the same as ours. There's simply more of them, tightly packed with infinite genetic knowledge. Almost like this being was engineered."

Re:On the topic of "whatcouldpossiblygowrong"

[somersault]

Who's cock do I have to suck around here to get Slashdot back the way it was two years ago? You know, when it didn't suck so hard?

See, I think you're going about this problem the wrong way. Your solution (sucking random cocks) would logically just add to the general sucking force. May I suggest that you try blowing instead?

Re:I for one...

[Anonymous Coward]

In Soviet Russia, that joke is sick and tired of you!

Article is a bit disappointing...

[EvilGrin5000]

Basically the summary of the article can be boiled down to:

Scientists: "Yay! We finally crammed a new pair of DNA molecules!"
Journalist: "What do they do?"
Scientists: "We don't know, but we're gonna study it! It was really hard to cram that thing in there, it's like hammering a piece of a jigsaw puzzle where it didn't belong. Now we're going to study how it will react and how the surroundings react to it."
Journalist: "So what will this do for the future?"
Scientists: "More generally, Romesberg notes that DNA and RNA are now being used for hundreds of purposes: for example, to build complex shapes, build complex nanostructures, silence disease genes, or even perform calculations. A new, unnatural, base pair could multiply and diversify these applications."
Journalist: "Cool"
Scientists: "Word! Oh and we're not sure of the tools we can do with it, I'm sure they'll be cool and awesome when we discover the tools we can make with this. It HAS to be cool, we used genetic engineering!"

And that's that. :)
Now go home and watch Resident Evil. I wonder if someone will start a business and call it "The Umbrella Corporation"

Re:Let me guess

[Jumphard]

Kentucky Fried Cytosine?

God

[PolarBearFire]

If gene sequencing is like programming and intelligence design is real, is God somewhere trying to decipher this new DNA and muttering obscenities under his breath?

All your base pairs are belong to us

[rve]

"since Slashdot members tend to represent the more educated and successful members to begin with?"

The above statement deserves a +1 funny

Re:On the topic of "whatcouldpossiblygowrong"

[dmatos]

What's going to happen if I do tell her? Is she going to create some kind of intelligent ape-bear hybrid with poisonous claws and send it to tear you to pieces?

Cool.

Re:And those letter are...

[Jesus_666]

Then they'll come up with E and the EU-based DNA turns up. EU-based DNA does many things right that USA-based DNA doesn't, but for some reason it needs several thousand bases to code even the simplest amino acids.

Re:On the topic of "whatcouldpossiblygowrong"

[roadkill-maker]

If you don't like the way Slashdot runs why don't you go make your own website with blackjack and hookers?

In fact, forget the website and the blackjack.

Re:MOD PARENT UP!

[Spy der Mann]

Your reference to 'the moderators' as if they are some secret organisation with a nefarious agenda is clueless.

Well done, boy. Our secret is safe again. You will be rewarded by our leadership. B-)

Re:MOD PARENT UP!

[Anonymous Coward]

This is /. When was the last time anything was entirely on topic? Lighten up, you offtopic nazi.

Re:Who the Mother Fuck?

[Gizzmonic]

Don't worry about a lighter, just upgrade your DNA with these base pairs. You'll be able to shoot fire from your fingertips!