Scientists create first living organism containing artificial DNA

FOX News ^ | May 8, 2014 | The Wall Street Journal

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Researchers for the first time created microbes containing artificial DNA, expanding the universal genetic code that guides life. The advance one day could lead to new antibiotics, vaccines and other medical products not possible with today's bioscience.

In a report published Wednesday in Nature, the scientists said they created two additions to the normal genetic code, and then prompted bacteria to incorporate these pieces of man-made DNA with few ill effects.

"The cells recognized it as natural," said chemical biologist Floyd Romesberg at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif., who led the research group.

[Rebelbase]

What could possibly go wrong?

[JoeProBono]

[Regulator]

Frankencell Lives

[KC_Lion]

Does this Unit Have a Soul?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2bXSVQAcDI

[Fai Mao]

“What could possibly go wrong?”

I don’t know but it answered to the name Hilary

[Fungi]

Reality check. “Artificial DNA?” What is it if it is not DNA? “With few ill effects?” Please quantify the “ill effects” and what they are, how many there are, and their effect on future bacterial populations. As usual, the details are in the specifics, in the journal article, and how many will read that article, understand it, and act accordingly if it is even warranted? Spoiler alert. I'm in trouble again.

[MV=PY]

And here it is!

[Free Vulcan]

Yeah, there’s no way this technology won’t be abused.

[Free Vulcan]

Now which alien from Star Trek was she again?

[ClearCase_guy]

[GeronL]

I saw a movie where this couple created a new life form and raised it like it was their child, it was cute at first but it ended up eating “daddy” and others.

[GeronL]

She is one of the reptilian so from V

[tbw2]

This headline feels like the start of a horror movie / book.

Kind of like the six word horror story on IO9 “Aliens landed (last post on Facebook)”

[Lmo56]

Just because you can - doesn’t mean you should ...

Think the explorers to the New World that carried European diseases. The natives had no natural immunity. Hundreds of thousands - if not millions died.

Now, you introduce an organism that has DNA that has never been seen on earth ???

Sheesh !!!

[The Antiyuppie]

“Now which alien from Star Trek was she again?”

If they can make me an 11 out of 10, I’m good with this.

[jsanders2001]

Nothing. Nothing at all...:

[Free Vulcan]

Nailed it!

[cookcounty]

"the scientists said they created two additions to the normal genetic code..........."

The headline made it sound like the DNA contained actual information.

....so they created a bit of junk DNA, 1.e., (apparently) innocuous gibberish. Oh wow.

[FatherofFive]

I always thought this was how cloning would work. just copy the DNA of what you want.