[Atlas Sneezed]

Hey look, a rock! I patent rocks so no one else can use them.

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Arrange the rocks into an particular shape (or carve on into a shape), and you can possibly copyright the design, trademark it (if the design is used to identify the source of commercial goods or services), or patent it if it provides some new, useful, and non-obvious function.

DNA is data. When the data has certain characteristics, it can be protected as intellectual property. Same for the data stream that makes a music recording or photograph, or a computer program.

[KarlInOhio]

DNA is data. When the data has certain characteristics, it can be protected as intellectual property. Same for the data stream that makes a music recording or photograph, or a computer program.

Sure, if you rearrange it to produce something new and useful. But if it just sitting out there in the wild you can't claim it as your own. Some of those trying to patent DNA sequences are like my pet cat who picked up a bird that had knocked itself out on a window and carried it around like she was a mighty hunter.