Quote:
Originally Posted by drewprops
BB, does this "arsenic-infused" DNA surprise you?
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I would have been more surprised if they had found a bacteria that couldn't live on phosphate but instead depended upon arsenic -- that would live up to the hype I have seen...
I am only slightly surprised that the organism is robust enough to handle high concentrations of arsenic, a notable poison, but this has less to do with the theory of how this would work (it is interesting to note that there are also bacteria for which sulfur can be replaced almost entirely with the toxic selenium to no great effect) than with how adaptable even the smallest organisms can be...
Unfortunately, the announcement may be a little premature -- there is no evidence that the arsenic is in the DNA, and while I suspect it is, I would have liked if the researchers had proven it before making the announcement...