Complaining about science for fics

[fractured_sun]

Have been working on zero X hadn't realised how much genetics I had forgotten. Why didn't I write a fic with protein biochemistry instead, I know about protein biochemistry.

I haven't thought much about eukaryotic (basically anything more complex than bacteria) gene expression since my degree. This chapter would be a lot easier if people were bacteria. Bacterial gene regulation is easy, I do it on a pratically daily basis in the lab. I could pretend they're the same as bacteria most people wouldn't know the difference. *headdesk* I'm too much of a science geek it would bug me way too much *goes back to textbook on gene regulation kept from my final year*.

I have more sympathy for the complete crap they spout when explaining the 'science' bits in films now.

Comments

[boogieshoes.livejournal.com]

i now have a complete geek crush on you. :-)

-bs

[fractured-sun.livejournal.com]

*grins* it's important these things are right, (or as right as they can be when you're talking about genetically engineering people with super powers).

[aeron-lanart.livejournal.com]

You are my kind of geek! I got so cross about the mishandled genetics in the Deryni universe and the only other friend of mine at the time who had read them couldn't understand why I was so annoyed!

Have fun with the genes!

[fractured-sun.livejournal.com]

When I first watched Spiderman I came out of the cinema and sat with my friends and complained for about half an hour about their explanation of the genetics, the radiation story though complete crap almost made more sense. (Poor friends).

Now of course I'm trying to rationally explain the impossible myself :0) hopefully without boring the readers to tears.

[yanagi-wa.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I really feel for you. But, if I don't understand the science of a fic, I go look it up. I really hate it when I find out that they've just thrown something together. And don't even get me started about movies.

I respect someone as geekie as I am. Someone who goes to the trouble to actually crack a book. You make my inner geek very happy.

[fractured-sun.livejournal.com]

*grins* I have on occasion come out of films and then complained for hours about the bad half assed handwaving 'science'. It seems horribly hypocritical not to try my best with something I'm writing. (Especially as I am in a related field).

The science won't be perfect, it doesn't matter how much you tamper with someone's genetics it won't give them the ability to change the weather or shoot lasers from their eyes, (though you could probably theoretically increase healing rates, give them wings or increase their speed and agility with enough changes). I can work with what is real though and extrapolate.

[yanagi-wa.livejournal.com]

Um ... what do you know about DNA? I'm working on an idea where the DNA in an egg is replaced with the DNA from two different people. Would it combine? Would they just wind up with twins?

[fractured-sun.livejournal.com]

Every person has two copies of each of 23 chromosome (which holds the DNA). One inherited from the mother and one from the father. Now if you inserted a full set of both into one egg you would have the DNA of two people. It wouldn't separate though and you would get a foetus with double the amount of DNA in each cell - which would not survive.

There are several genetic diseases caused by too many chromosomes down syndrome for example is caused by trisomy (having three copies) of chromosome 21. Duplication of most of the other chromosomes prevent development.

However if you wanted you could use the DNA from the parents gametes (sperm and ovum). The gametes only have one copy of each chromosome and so you would get the normal full compliment of 46 chromosomes.

Alternatively if you take an egg that has divided into two cells (the very beginning of development) and replace the DNA of each cell with the DNA from one parent then you would have a child with 50% of his cells identical to one parent and 50% to the other. In theory, whether the child is likely to survive to full term I don't know.

The first option is far more likely to actually be used I think they can do something similar already (although not with humans yet), and might at some point become an option for same sex couples for example.

[yanagi-wa.livejournal.com]

I see. I'll admit this is for a Harry Potter. (NOT an mpreg) If you could remove the gametes from two donors sperm and insert it into an egg (which has had it's own DNA removed) you would get a viable Zygote?

[fractured-sun.livejournal.com]

In theory yes, so long as neither the egg was nor the DNA was too badly damaged in the process.

If both DNA donors are male they would need to make sure two gametes with Y chromosomes weren't selected. XY being male and XX being female (as you probably know) a male can donate either an X or a Y, two Y's wouldn't produce a viable zygote.

[yanagi-wa.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Both of these emails go in my story notes. It's going to save me hours of research.

I'm sure that magic will keep the gametes from being damaged. The little details are what makes something like this believable. *hugs bunches* Thanks again.

[fractured-sun.livejournal.com]

No problem, any time. I like talking about fics and I like talking about science talkingg about both is even better. Good luck with the story.