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Old 12-08-2003, 10:35 AM
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Default problems with genetic engineering

On 9 Aug 2003 08:31:09 -0700, (Tim Tyler) posted:

"Jim Webster" wrote
"Tim Tyler" wrote:


Mutations that arise in nature tend to be systematically different from
taking genes from one organisms and transferring them into an unrelated
one.

The latter technique is more powerful.

As a consequence of the greater power, there is more scope for things
going wrong.


except that there are an almost infinite number of mutations arising
naturally all the time, whereas how many gm ones are there?


Insertions of arbitrary information are allowed in both cases.


Allowed by whom?

Inevitably blind chance will throw up more powerful mutations than GM


Use of intelligent design and engineering can usually produce results
more quickly than trying solutions at random.


Well we have millions of years to catch up on.

The tools available to genetic engineers are a superset of those
nature uses.


But in the end, they only do the same job.

*As well* as point mumations, inversions, etc, they can (e.g.) take
existing genes from a glowworm, and insert them into a mouse -
something that would
not normally happen in nature.


Of course it would. The mouse gene and glowworm genes are just
slightly different variations of code in exactly the same material.
Same thing almost certainly occurred in both organisms, but a mouse
that glows in the dark goes extinct due to owls, whereas the glowworm
succeeds in finding a mate.