SF Novelist Needs Advice on Proteins

[Guest Galadriel]

Hello to all.

 

I'm writing a science fiction story. My colonists landed on a planet where all vegetation contains a protein for which humans have no enzyme for digestion.

 

To avoid starvation, they must create and take a synthetic enzyme, added to their water-supply.

 

My questions:

 

If plausible, what would this protein be like, and what would be the enzyme (and the gland) to handle it?

 

Would it be possible in time (with or without help) for the people to evolve to the point where their bodies would produce the needed enzymes?

 

Thanks very much!

[YT2095]

probably a bit like Cellulose is for us now, we cannot really digest that either.

a type of Protease would be your enzyme, as for the protein, I`ve no idea.

the question is alot more involved than perhaps realised. a pre food treatment would be the more likely way we would go, rather than alter ourselves with new glands and the like. economics would play a big part, and so as often is the case, the cheapest method would be sought

[Ms. DNA]

Hello Galadriel,

 

Welcome to the forums. I'm a science fiction writer too, though I haven't sold anything yet. I also work with proteins and enzymes as part of my day job. Your idea is very interesting, as I'm developing a colony world where the colonists have to cope with an alien biochemistry.

 

To answer your question, perhaps the protein might have a different type of amino acid that our enzymes don't recoginize, or it may have some bonds that our enyzmes can't break. And I think YT has a good point about pre-treating the food instead of giving the enzyme to people; there's be less chance of the enzyme causing side effects. Besides, you would also have to develop an enzyme that can not only break down this protein but work in a human's digestive system at the right pH and temperature, and it might be hard getting all of those properties in oneenzyme. Is there only a single indigestible protein in the vegetation, or are all of them indigestible? If it's only one protein, perhaps the colonists can extract it out before eating the food.

[csjonline]

some tiny suggestions:

. the protein should be a short peptide, or it can be easily denatured by cooking so that it can do no harm to human

. the protein had better have the ability to combine some essential enzymes of humans to make them invalid, or the protein will be very harmful to human's nerve system. I think only these two ways can prevent humans from eating those vegetations (and choose to starve to death, oh my god )

. artificial mutation will maybe do help with your 'evolution'. That is, the human beings on the plate are obliged to mutate their genes frequently (eat pills, shine the sun, whatever), and select those mutants to do the relevant tests. It will accelerate evolutionary procedure, i suppose.

 

i hope my suggestions will be helpful to you