FrostReaver t1_jbnianq wrote on March 10, 2023 at 8:43 AM

Reply to comment by Ragondux in I just learned that the known shortest DNA in an “organism” is about 1700 base pairs in a certain virus. Is there a minimum amount of “code” required for an organism (or virus) to function in any capacity? by mcbergstedt

The first cells could've been a couple strands of RNA in a micelle with a protein.

FrostReaver t1_jbnfnyw wrote on March 10, 2023 at 8:07 AM

Reply to I just learned that the known shortest DNA in an “organism” is about 1700 base pairs in a certain virus. Is there a minimum amount of “code” required for an organism (or virus) to function in any capacity? by mcbergstedt

There is a concept call the minimum viable cell, where researchers attempt to splice almost all genes from a Mycoplasma mycoides except what is needed for survival. The genes that are necessary include metabolic proteins that handle essential functions like reproduction, fermentation, and amino acid synthesis.

"It has a smaller genome (531,490 bp) than that of any known organism that can be grown in axenic culture. There are only 438 protein-coding genes and 35 RNA-coding genes (Hutchison et al. 2016)."

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5710109/#:~:text=A%20minimal%20cell%20is%20one,genes%20and%20components%20are%20understood.

FrostReaver t1_j9xwxnz wrote on February 25, 2023 at 10:36 AM

Reply to comment by [deleted] in New cohort study of 3.7 million adults finds that long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with an increased risk of having a heart attack or dying from heart disease — associations more pronounced in low socioeconomic status communities by marketrent

China does have a relatively high incidence of cardiovascular disease, but they also don't have the same obesity crisis that america does. Having more risk factors like obesity and pollution significantly increases the incidences of heart attacks.

FrostReaver t1_iuzne1g wrote on November 4, 2022 at 4:42 AM

Reply to Scientists discover way to target ‘undruggable’ molecules involved in cancer by VPee

This seems like an interesting treatment option for certain cancers. I do have some concerns about this synthetic molecule they mention, but do not provide any biochemical description.

It sounds like it's binding to the DNA temporarily to inhibit the transcription factor from binding. I would be curious to see how it would impact DNA replication and how it enters and leaves the body.