Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id DAA12047 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Tue, 12 Feb 2002 03:13:53 GMT Message-Id: <5.1.0.14.0.20020211215016.02c8ac00@pop.cogeco.ca> X-Sender: hkhenson@pop.cogeco.ca X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.1 Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2002 22:10:31 -0500 To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk From: Keith Henson <hkhenson@cogeco.ca> Subject: Re: Memes Meta-Memes and Politics 1 of 3 (1988, updates 2002) In-Reply-To: <20020212020840.BB6381FD47@camail.harvard.edu> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
At 09:08 PM 11/02/02 -0500, "Wade T.Smith" <wade_smith@harvard.edu>
wrote:
>Hi Keith Henson -
>
> >[*The essence of a gene is in its information. It is still a gene
> > "for hemoglobin" or "for waltzing behavior in mice" whether the
> > sequence is coded in DNA, printed on paper, or is written on
> > magnetic tape.]
>
>You continually mention that genes can be encoded onto magnetic tape, as
>if we could play this tape and create the lifeform that needed it.
>
>What, exactly, are you talking about?
>
>Genes in DNA are unique, are they not? How could anyone, outside of a
>science-fiction novel, replicate DNA from magnetic tape?
http://www.biosset.com/synthesizers.html
"DNA synthesizers from BIOSSET are fully automated instruments for the
synthesis of natural and modified oligonucleotides. They have been
specially designed to meet requirements for efficiency, economy, and
reliability both in the batch production of oligonucleotides and scientific
research.
"The unique design of fluid systems provides high economy of the synthesis
due to low consumption of reagents and high coupling efficiency.
"BIOSSET produces two models of the DNA synthesizer:
"ASM-700 DNA synthesizer is the seven-column instrument for the parallel
synthesis. Seven different . . . "
snip
I notice your address is Harvard. There are probably a dozen or more of
them on campus, and more over at Boston University if you want to see what
one looks like.
Most of the time they would be working off of DNA files downloaded off the
net, but personal computers are still sometimes backed up on tape.
Keith
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