| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"wbarwell" |
| Date: |
21 Oct 2005 01:17:57 AM |
| Object: |
How evolution REALLY works - Pathosphere |
new Scientist
08 October 2005
NEW biological weapons are being created right this minute - though
not in any secret laboratory or military base. Out of reach of
international legislation, there is a genetic lending library of evil
in action, and while you may not realise it, you are intimately
involved. It's been going on for millions of years, but we have only
just begun to explore this sinister new territory. Welcome to the
pathosphere.
What is the pathosphere? It is the surprisingly vast and growing gene
pool in which pathogens, the microbes that cause disease, meet and
mingle. Scientists have long known that the so-called plastic genome
of many pathogens allows them to readily swap genes, transferring
genetic material in information packages called plasmids. Now it
seems they have access to a much broader supply of genes than
previously believed. Frederick Blattner, a geneticist at the
University of Wisconsin, Madison, named this genetic lending library
the pathosphere - the realm that blurs the lines between pathogen
species.
The pathosphere was unveiled in 2001 when researchers mapped the
genome of the microbe Escherichia coli. They found a shocking number
of differences between benign and vicious E. coli strains, suggesting
that the strains can quickly acquire large amounts of new genetic
material, not only from relatives within their species but from an
alarmingly large range of bacteria. On the family level, a huge bank
of genes is being shared among bacteria including salmonella (food
poisoning), shigella (more food poisoning), yersinia (plague) and
even plant bacteria.
What's so sinister about the pathosphere? Its existence means that
pathogens are more closely connected than we thought. They are able
to trade genes in bulk, and conspire to enhance one another's
survival skills. A relatively benign bacterium can survive an
antibiotic attack, then hand over the genetic secrets of its success
to more vicious pathogens.
?There is a genetic lending library of evil in action, and you are
intimately involved?
Right now, Hong Kong is battling a plague of antibiotic-resistant
bugs, the result of heavy antibiotic use during the SARS epidemic.
And just two weeks ago the UK's Health Protection Agency reported a
new variant of E. coli that is resistant to all but a few
antibiotics.
Even worse, the pathosphere's embrace is perpetually widening.
Research discussed at last month's meeting of the Society for
Invertebrate Pathology in Alaska shows that some human pathogens
acquire dangerous survival skills while hosted by invertebrate
species. A spider's saliva houses bacteria that can rot human flesh.
With gene swapping occurring between vertebrates and invertebrates,
the pathosphere ascends another rung of the ladder from family to
order.
Should we be frightened? Definitely. As drug-resistant genes circulate
in the pathosphere, new bioweapons are continuously produced. But on
the bright side, the fact that pathogens once believed to be
disparate are actually connected means that we could develop one
knock-out solution and apply it to the central gene bank as a
cure-all for a whole host of ills.
From issue 2520 of New Scientist magazine, 08 October 2005, page 58
--
The official spokesman of the Foxes said
today that investigation into what happened
to the henhouse may be needed.
Cheerful Charlie
.
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| User: "Jesus H Christ" |
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| Title: Re: How evolution REALLY works - Pathosphere |
22 Oct 2005 10:10:19 AM |
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wbarwell <wbarwell@mylinuxisp.com> wrote in
news:11lh10mc6c0cm4c@corp.supernews.com:
new Scientist
08 October 2005
[snip]
What's so sinister about the pathosphere? Its existence means that
pathogens are more closely connected than we thought. They are able
to trade genes in bulk, and conspire to enhance one another's
survival skills.
[snip]
Should we be frightened? Definitely. As drug-resistant genes circulate
in the pathosphere, new bioweapons are continuously produced. But on
the bright side, the fact that pathogens once believed to be
disparate are actually connected means that we could develop one
knock-out solution and apply it to the central gene bank as a
cure-all for a whole host of ills.
From issue 2520 of New Scientist magazine, 08 October 2005, page 58
Aww, now that's just not freakin' *fair*.
We only just now go an' understand how to pull apart and then nail these
lil' fuckers and NOW we discover they're talking behind our backs all
this time?
Look, the BIBLE says NOTHING about this *****, it's all too scary and it
makes the baby jesus cry - and therefore it's IMPOSSIBLE, m'kay?
[Runs away to wash hands obsessively and genuflect, genuflect, genuflect]
jesus
.
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