| | Back to Xanga, at least temporarily. I forgot about this place.
Anyways, the reason for this post is while studying for my biochem test (today 9am, currently procrastinating and not even close to being ready) I thought of an idea for a future bioengineering project. So, the problem is we can't just eat trees to survive because we can't break down the beta linkages between glucose molecules in cellulose. Herbivores and termites contain symbiotic microorganisms that secrete cellulases (enzymes that break down those beta linkages). We can however break down the alpha linkages between glucose molecules in starch by Ronjon's favorite - amylase - which is how we can eat a few select parts of a few select trees. The idea is to either create a symbiosis between humans and cellulase-producing microorganisms (stick a few of them in someone's stomach?), or to just straight-up incorporate cellulase secretion into the human digestive system which seems feasible since we already secrete an enzyme similar in amylase. We'd just have to find the gene (HAHAHAHA...HA) that regulate amylase production and secretion, and alter it slightly to produce/regulate cellulase instead and somehow stick the altered gene into the genome. So after all that bullshit I just typed, we can just eat trees and never have to worry about food again until all the trees get cut down in a few decades. This tickles the hippie in me. Though there's the problem that cellulases take awhile to degrade cellulose, so it may be a few days before you digest the carbs from eating that tree branch outside your window. Whatever, better than spending countless dollars on "human food" when I could be spending it on...greenery.
I apologize that had to be my first post in over half a year. Georgia Tech has officially converted me. I'll have to post something after this so that this isn't the first thing people read when they stumble onto my Xanga. O/U "people who'll stumble onto my Xanga" - 2.5 in the next 18 months.
|
| | Posted 3/3/2008 6:48 AM - 64 Views - 6 eProps - 3 comments
- recommend
  - recs0
- share
- email
 - sent0
|
