Life Made to Order

Roland Piquepaille writes "When he was president of Celera Genomics, Craig Venter was the leader of the private project which deciphered the human genome. Now, he has another goal: create custom-made organisms -- one DNA letter at a time. 'Venter's objective is not merely to tweak existing life forms by inserting genes that confer specific traits -- the main tactic in conventional genetic engineering. Instead he wants to assemble an entire genome, DNA letter by DNA letter, putting together only the genes he wants: those necessary for an organism's survival and those that will allow it to carry out a desired task.' If successful, maybe in a decade, this could yield new sources of energy or novel drugs. Venter is not alone in this quest. Other institutions, private companies or universities, have similar efforts under development. Check this column for a summary of this eye-opening -- but quite long -- Technology Review article."

Comments

I can see it already...

[mistermund]

Instead he wants to assemble an entire genome, DNA letter by DNA letter, putting together only the genes he wants:

Neck bolt by neck bolt, green skin, flat head with scar on forehead, demeanor not unlike a geek without caffeine, and bring it all to life with a strategic bolt of lightning that hits the castle on top of the old hill....

...Yeah, that's the type of stuff we should be tinkering with!

Cold Cure V1.0 Product Recall

[nagora]

Version 1.0 of our anti-cold virus virus has developed an error whereby it instead shuts down the customer's nerve system. The company acknowledges that more debugging of the genetic code should have been done and assures any surviving members of the human race that these issues have been addressed in version 1.1. This is a pre-recorded message as I'm afraid we're all dead at the moment.

TWW

new possibilities

[heitikender]

along the usual stuff like creating organisms from scratch and superhumans, we can also have smaller cell phones (!). Maybe this time a real one-cell phone?

Re:I have a great Idea!

[robbo]

Reminds me of a cartoon that somebody pasted on the door to our lab several years ago:

Journalist: Dr, how do you respond to your critics that say you're playing god?
Dr: I strike them dead with a bolt of lightning.

ah, The Simpsons

[Johnso]

Bart: "How would I go about creating a half-man, half-monkey-type creature?"
Mrs. Krebopple: "I'm sorry, that would be playing God."
Bart: "God shmod! I want my monkey-man!"

Okay, here's my request list...

[Fritz Benwalla]

I would like:

1. A turkey that grows with a stomach full of stuffing.
2. A small monkey-like creature that keeps the shower water at a constant temperature.
3. A virus that makes just one of my "enlarge your penis" spams true, but then then another one that brings it back down for easy storage.
4. A tiny giraffe. All the convenience of a small dog but you wouldn't have to bend all the way down to pet it.

Please let me know when I can pick these up. Thank you.

---------

Re:Okay, here's my request list...

[lpontiac]

You forgot the 4 assed monkey!

Sci Fi Horror!

[TekReggard]

This reminds me of those Sci Fi flicks where scientists really want to create creatures from scratch. So they come up with a bunch of "super creatures" which they'll use to perform tasks better than their human counter parts. Of course, said "super creatures" turn on them and start killing them or rebelling against mankind. You know what I mean, think... Resident Evil? [the movie for example]

Energy?

[Cyno01]

this could yield new sources of energy

Are they going to engineer hampster like creatures that will never tire to run on little wheels or what?

Re:Here it is

[whovian]

Looks like you're designing DNA!

Genome Assistant can help
you compose your artificial sequence.
First, tell us how you plan to design it....
-- Clippy

spell checker

[infonography]

If they are gonna be making DNA letter by letter, then hopefully someones gonna write a good spell checker.

DNA to order?

[megabeck42]

Ahh.. The future,

"Organisms'r'US, this is Charlene, how may I help you?"

"Hi, yeah - I'd like to order a Natalie Portman with a side of grits."

"Mmmhmm, I'll need a credit card and a shipping address - would you like that overnight?"

Re:DNA to order?

[machine of god]

I've been dealing with those slippery characters. You have to specify, otherwise your grits will only be lukewarm.

Re:Craig Venter.

[Waffle Iron]

I am no fan of gene patents, but this story was something of a vindication of the arguments for gene patents (and intellectual property in general).

Gene patents could be very lucrative in this field. Imagine an informational video at the end of a future assembly line:

Welcome to Earth. I am your creator, Dr. Smith. You are a newly minted member of a custom designed super-human master race. I have good news for you: you have intellect and physical powers that dwarf those of the puny inhabitants of this planet. We have created you fully formed and preprogrammed with all of the knowledge known to mankind. You will walk amongst the population of this world as a god.

However, you should be aware of the following information: My company holds key patents on your being. In order to exist, you must license those patents. In order to cover your royalties, we will garner everything that you produce during your lifespan other than a small stipend. These same licensing terms apply to any offspring you may produce. In order to help keep you honest, your brain includes our DRM technology. We may also remotely monitor your thoughts, and we may share this information from time to time with our subsidiaries, contractors and marketing partners. We may change the terms of this agreement at any time by notifying you through a voice in your head. If you violate the terms of our licensing agreement, you may be remotely terminated without notice, so keep your nose clean.

YOU COME WITH ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY. WE WILL NOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR ANY OF YOUR ACTIONS; EVERYTHING YOU DO IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. WE MAKE NO CLAIMS THAT YOU ARE FIT FOR ANY PURPOSE, OR THAT YOU ARE SANE.

Go forth and prosper.

Re:Human Genetic Engineering is a Good Thing

[Tablizer]

since you haven't learned the concept of paragraphs.

He has been genetically enhanced to no longer need paragraphs in order to understand text. Paragraphs are for the mentally coddled old-style humans like you. In the next model of human, a statistical context parser will be engineered in so that punctuation will not be needed either.

And you thought offshore outsourcing was scary....