The NGF Journal of Medicine

[Pel]

Meddling with Gaia's Code: Invasive Genes

By Dr. Edwin Locke

Our doctoral students were up to some fun this last semester-- relieving some Wild of their ships and trussing them up for study.

Being scientists and physicians, we Gaians have long been interested in the Sluagh Sidhe, or Wild, who live next door to us in the Drake system.

The language of Gaia is DNA, so the way that Nomads differ from us in that respect is endlessly fascinating.

We kept the Wild sedated so that they couldn't practice any of their purported "mind control" on us and took samples from all of them to chart their DNA.

The parasite's genetic code is rather simple and consists kinetoplast-DNA (kDNA),which is not normally present in multicellular organisms. "It pollutes the human genome," graduate student Dod Baster says of kDNA.

We found several sites where the parasitic kDNA of the Nomad symbiont had been inserted into the human genome-- meaning that these changes would be passed along to any offspring and would persist, even if the symbiont were somehow removed. At several sites in their genetic code, all of the Sluagh Sidhe had the same transposed DNA from the parasite.

It seems, then, that there is positive selection for transposable elements at these sites, suggesting that insertion has a beneficial effect on the host. Such an effect has previously been shown for two insertions that give increased resistance against aerosolized toxins in other groups of humans. One example of this is when settlers on Junyo incorporated genes from alien organisms that at first sickened them, but afterward helped them breathe the planet's air.

The functions of the genes closest to the remaining insertions are highly diverse, so how these particular transposable elements may benefit the Sluagh Sidhe is unclear.

As graduate student Diana Haver puts it, "perhaps we shouldn't really think of transposable elements as parasites at all. They represent a way for the Wild to increase their genetic repertoire, which may be advantageous in helping them meet future challenges."

The first of which will be, "How do I untie myself and get out of this funny hospital gown they left me in?"

We'll see if the Mindshare can get them out of this one! (Hint: Check around B2 on your system map, Drakies. There should be some trussed-up treats in refurbished escape pods for you.)

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