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Restless Souls/Technology: Difference between revisions
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clarifying why the mycorrhiza is dangerous
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Jamie and Prof. Hasegawa searched in the Wilderness Preserves for minimally-mutated mycorrhiza to prove that the problem was man-made. On their way into the wilderness, Jamie got infected by the fungus. It liquefied her leg tissue. The CDC believed that it was caused by a virus because these symptoms reminded them of Ebola. Hasegawa later collected tissue samples of Jamie and the fungus in the quarantine zone. He realized that he would need better security measures for the Daodan Chrysalis to [[#Contamination_of_the_ecosystem|avoid endangering the environment]]. | Jamie and Prof. Hasegawa searched in the Wilderness Preserves for minimally-mutated mycorrhiza to prove that the problem was man-made. On their way into the wilderness, Jamie got infected by the fungus. It liquefied her leg tissue. The CDC believed that it was caused by a virus because these symptoms reminded them of Ebola. Hasegawa later collected tissue samples of Jamie and the fungus in the quarantine zone. He realized that he would need better security measures for the Daodan Chrysalis to [[#Contamination_of_the_ecosystem|avoid endangering the environment]]. | ||
====Anonymous diary entry==== | ====Anonymous diary entry==== | ||
We had fail-safe measures in both mycorrhiza organisms. | We had fail-safe measures in both mycorrhiza organisms. | ||
On the one hand, | The decontamination process is dangerous because all non-animal lifeforms become devoured. If the mycorrhiza or its dangerous DNA strains escape from the defined area, too many lifeforms on the planet would be in danger. And what could we eat if there’s nothing left but these mycorrhiza? | ||
On the one hand, the mycorrhiza organisms require fertilizers with [http://phys.org/news/2015-06-scientists-molecular-key-potential-gmos.html artificial amino acids]. When the plants and fungi can't consume more of these components, they stop growing. Eventually, a low enough concentration triggers cell death, whereby all the genetic information in dissolved as the final reaction, only leaving the hard shells with radioactive material behind. | |||
Also, each mycorrhiza partner produces needed components for the other. They can only grow with the other partner around. | Also, each mycorrhiza partner produces needed components for the other. They can only grow with the other partner around. | ||
Since the two depend on each other, new emerging symbioses shouldn’t have any effect on the mycorrhiza in terms of bio-containment. | This makes sure that the job doesn’t remain half-done: if the fungi cannot hand over the gathered radioactive material to their plant hosts the material would lie idle and pose under some conditions an even bigger threat than in a not concentrated form. | ||
Since the two species depend on each other, new emerging symbioses shouldn’t have any effect on the mycorrhiza in terms of bio-containment. | |||
Neither partner could be replaced by another symbiont while keeping the | Neither partner could be replaced by another symbiont while keeping the dangerous decontamination process intact. | ||
However, | However, plants can have multiple symbionts. While our engineered radiotrophic fungi was crucial, other fungi and bacteria supported the plants in common tasks like nitrogen fixation. | ||
What led to the catastrophe was horizontal gene transfers with secondary symbionts that occurred naturally. | What led to the catastrophe was horizontal gene transfers with secondary symbionts that occurred naturally. | ||
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Eventually the new fungi escaped containment. Some organisms that survived an attack gained defense mechanisms (making them on par with the original mutant) and gained the ability to easily exchange genes via HGT. If the WCG hadn't employed bio-decontamination teams, our city's flora and crop plants would have already been overrun by this green hell. | Eventually the new fungi escaped containment. Some organisms that survived an attack gained defense mechanisms (making them on par with the original mutant) and gained the ability to easily exchange genes via HGT. If the WCG hadn't employed bio-decontamination teams, our city's flora and crop plants would have already been overrun by this green hell. | ||
====ACCs==== | ====ACCs==== | ||