I found this article extremely interesting because it literally changes everything we have ever known about genetics, biology, and life overall. This article is stating that there has been a discovery in a eastern California lake of a bacteria with an extraordinary DNA makeup. It has been believed that this particular type of bacteria has replaced phosphorus in it's DNA with arsenic.
This discovery could rewrite textbooks everywhere. If life can grow and live from arsenic instead of phosphorus then who is to say that the same can not be said for oxygen or any of the other elements that make up DNA? This type of discovery easily makes life possible in places we never though practical. This discovery could open the door to a whole new world of living things.
When I heard about this in my conservation biology class, I was blown away! This organism is living on our planet among other organisms that ALL contain phosphorus-based DNA structures and processes. So many questions came to mind immediately. Where did it come from? Did it develop here on Earth? Did it come in on a meteorite? If so, did it develop in space on that meteor or on another planet? Then I started thinking about categorizing it. It would need its own domain! If it is left to thrive here, will it continue to evolve? Will it eventually have its own species (plural)? Will this organism and its potential future versions of it take over the planet? I'm going nuts!
ReplyDeleteAlso, just to be clear, I am not surprised that there is life in existence different from everything we know. I have always been a firm believer in life on other planets, but what does excite me is that it was found on Earth. I am just so curious about how it will grow and evolve amongst other phosphorus-based organisms!
ReplyDelete