Scientists create a living organism

Financial Times ^ | 5/20/10 | Clive Cookson

[AdmSmith]

They need 26 letters + 10 numbers + “several punctuation marks”. The latter could be 15 - 20 or so, so we get about 46 characters. 4**2 = 16 and 4**3 = 64, so go for a triplet code. Could they have used a simple substitution ciphers? What will a frequency analysis give?

OK Freepers give it a try!

[AdmSmith]

A 3- letter frequency

http://www.richkni.co.uk/php/crypta/freq.php

ata => 48
act => 31
taa => 30
agc => 29
tga => 28
aat => 27
cta => 26
ctg => 25
tag => 25
tat => 25
cgg => 23
gct => 22
tca => 22
cat => 21
aca => 21
gat => 19
aac => 19
cac => 18
ttt => 18
tac => 18
ccg => 17
gcc => 17
cgt => 17
gtc => 17
att => 17
caa => 16
tgt => 16
aaa => 16
tgc => 16
gac => 15
ttg => 15
ggc => 14
atc => 14
gta => 14
gca => 14
atg => 14
tcg => 13
aag => 12
gag => 12
gga => 12
gtt => 12
gtg => 12
gaa => 12
acg => 12
ggt => 12
aga => 11
ttc => 11
tta => 11
agt => 9
gcg => 9
cag => 9
agg => 9
tct => 9
cca => 8
ctt => 8
ctc => 8
cga => 7
acc => 7
tcc => 6
tgg => 6
ggg => 6
cct => 5
ccc => 5
cgc => 4

[djf]

So what? They inserted some sequences in the genome?

Big deal. They can do that already with viral vector technology.

This was not “creating life” by any stretch.

[AdmSmith]

Frequency of letters in English:

e 12.702%
t 9.056%
a 8.167%
o 7.507%
i 6.966%
n 6.749%
s 6.327%
h 6.094%
r 5.987%
d 4.253%
l 4.025%
c 2.782%
u 2.758%
m 2.406%
w 2.360%
f 2.228%
g 2.015%
y 1.974%
p 1.929%
b 1.492%
v 0.978%
k 0.772%
j 0.153%
x 0.150%
q 0.095%
z 0.074%

[raygun]

This statement is fascinating:

Within the synthesized genome, Venter and colleagues left a watermark to clearly identify their work — four added DNA sequences whose string of bases spell out messages. The first watermark includes a code with which to decipher the others, including the names of the contributing scientists, three famous quotes, and an email address. “If people can decipher the code, they can send an email to us,” said Venter. http://www.the-scientist.com/blog/display/57443/

Imagine being able to send an eMail to God (or Satan) as a result of one's research into evolotionary biology.

Sounds farfetched, I'm sure. What is this 'watermark' thing? And if either of the aforementioned supernatural beings actually exist, how'd such be recognized in their work?

[AdmSmith]

This was not “creating life” by any stretch.
No, we all know that, but the headline was written by an ignorant journalist.

[AdmSmith]

The watermark is simply a string of non-coding DNA that they inserted in the sequence. Nothing else.

[PIF]

But not with the best of intensions... They are thinking about designing them to eat “excess” carbon and CO2...

Maybe they are a front for the Human Extinction Movement?

[SunkenCiv]

“Many Voices”, Star Trek: The Next Generation.