X-Message-Number: 7842
Date: 12 Mar 97 16:34:40 EST
From: Brook Norton <>
Subject: Re: DNA Storage

Regarding the value of storing DNA while you are young to preserve a good
blueprint for regenerating tissue at the time of reanimation...

John Clark writes:
>>
I don't see how having a DNA sample would help anyone when they try to 
recover you from suspension. If you are suspended they would be able to get a  
perfect copy of all your DNA even if your body suffered massive genetic 
damage, since each cell has a complete copy and they would have many 
trillions to work with. One more cell would not be important.
>>

Information I've picked up on Cryonet and in casual reading of other
publications has led me the following understanding... As you age, your DNA
slowly mutates so that an old person's DNA in each cell may not be identical to
the DNA of each cell at birth.  I don't know if the mutations occur in all sets
of DNA and I don't recall what the speculated cause of the mutations is.  I do
recall reading speculations that the mutations are numerous enough to be
suspected as a general contributor to declining health in older people, the
mutated DNA not expressing its cellular directions correctly, leading to
malfunctioning cells throughout the body.  So thats the idea behind storing DNA
when you are young.  To relieve the burden of future scientists of figuring out
what your unmutated DNA looks like.

(Mr) Brook Norton
aerospace engineer


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