Scientific American reports on some new research into Anthrax. Specifically, differences between anthrax and related, non-toxic soil bacteria:
Previous research yielded maps of large portions of B. anthracis's genome. In particular, scientists knew that the main differences between B. anthracis and its harmless soil bacteria cousins came from its two plasmids, which are small circles of DNA that lie outside of the chromosome. In B. anthracis, these plasmids (known as pXO1 and pXO2) carry genes that account for much of its toxicity to animals and humans.Part of me wants to look on the bright side -- if we know what the toxic plasmids are, we can innoculate against them more easily and effectively.
Part of me wants to be more realistic -- if we know what the toxic plasmids are, we can incorporate them into new bioweapons that are virtually impossible to identify.
Perhaps I'm just remembering some of the genetic engineering scifi I read back in the early 1990s, where hacking together a new organism was about as difficult as cobbling together a VB app. We may not be there yet, but we will, someday.
...where hacking together a new organism was about as difficult as cobbling together a VB app.
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