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"Damage Suppressor" Gene Found in Tardigrades, Inserted into Human Cells

posted by martyb on Thursday September 22 2016, @09:49AM   Printer-friendly
from the Shields-up! dept.

An Anonymous Coward writes:

Scientists have found a damage suppressing gene in tardigrades that they have called "Dsup". It directs the production of a protein that can protect DNA, partially explaining tardigrades' resistance to the effects of radiation. The scientists also inserted the gene into human cells and found that Dsup-treated cells suffered less damage from X-ray exposure.

Extremotolerant tardigrade genome and improved radiotolerance of human cultured cells by tardigrade-unique protein (open, DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12808) (DX)

Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 4, Funny) by Kell on Thursday September 22 2016, @09:53AM

    by Kell (292) on Thursday September 22 2016, @09:53AM (#405071)

    The scientists also inserted the gene into human cells and found that Dsup-treated cells suffered less damage from X-ray exposure.

    You want super villains? That's how you get super villains.

    --
    Scientists ask questions. Engineers solve problems.
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  • (Score: 2) by KritonK on Thursday September 22 2016, @11:29AM

    by KritonK (465) on Thursday September 22 2016, @11:29AM (#405086)

    Oddly enough, my first thought after reading this was about creating super heroes, not villains.

    • (Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 22 2016, @11:43AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 22 2016, @11:43AM (#405089)

      goody 👠👠

    • (Score: 2) by krishnoid on Thursday September 22 2016, @09:43PM

      by krishnoid (1156) on Thursday September 22 2016, @09:43PM (#405292)

      Injected with a damage suppressor gene, he became ... water man bear pig!

  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by Immerman on Thursday September 22 2016, @01:04PM

    by Immerman (3985) on Thursday September 22 2016, @01:04PM (#405113)

    Just the opposite I think - by constantly repairing damaged DNA you make it all but impossible for the X-factor mutations to occur in the first place.

    All we're likely to get is is super-normals. But hey, at least they should be extra resistant to cancer.

  • (Score: 2) by Non Sequor on Thursday September 22 2016, @04:17PM

    by Non Sequor (1005) on Thursday September 22 2016, @04:17PM (#405171) Journal

    I'm sure that lady who injected herself with a telomerase promoting virus will go for this. She seems like a super villain candidate.

    --
    Write your congressman. Tell him he sucks.

  • (Score: 2) by bob_super on Thursday September 22 2016, @06:00PM

    by bob_super (1357) on Thursday September 22 2016, @06:00PM (#405208)

    > That's how you get super villains.

    Oh, that sounds too dangerous... I thought you only needed to register with the SEC.