Author Has a Question on Genetic Engineering

[aring633]

I am a fiction author currently writing my third book in a series about a boy who can control his autonomic nervous system. Although realize this is a fantastic concept, I've tried to root the idea in as much "real" science as possible.

 

My current plot line has the boy experimenting with genetic engineering to cure a genetic disease. Since he has control over his entire body and its processes, he injects naked DNA into his cells and is able to get the DNA to integrate without using retroviruses or other methods. Problem is, he accidentally injects the wrong DNA, that of a female.

 

My question is, how would this new DNA express itself? Would his eye color or body change in any way? Or would the expression limit itself to changes in proteins and hormones only? My research (limited by my pathetic knowledge of biology) indicates his testes would slowly turn into ovaries (in a working sense), he would begin to produce female hormones rather than male, maybe body hair growth would change...but I'm unsure what else would reasonably occur, say, in a few weeks' timeframe.

 

I realize this is all theoretical, but what do you think? Thank you so much for your help.

 

Andrea Ring

www.andrearing.net

Author of the System Series

[Endy0816]

It would depend on the DNA utilized and which cells are involved.

 

Any chance your character has control over his immune system as well? Would vastly simplify things changing out cells instead.

 

Might want to check out real world human chimeras. I could see something along those lines working. Even a case mentioned of a male developing female organs as a result.

[aring633]

Thank you, Endy, for responding. I will look up human chimeras immediately!

 

Yes, my character has control over his immune system as well. This is crucial to him being able to easily engineer himself (he can suppress the immune system and have no rejection issues), but in translating his experiments to someone else, he's working on an immune suppression drug that alters the immune system to recognize all his altered DNA (he adds a specific marker or something to make it seem harmless to the human body - still working that out). Except the twist is that when he injects the wrong DNA, he loses his abilities to control his body. So I'm planning on having his immune system kick in to create tension and that "ticking time bomb" affect in the book.

 

When you ask about DNA utilized and which cells are involved, I feel I'm missing a big something in my understanding. I thought DNA was pretty much the same in every cell...except of course it would have to be different to express the cell type. Darn. I have to remedy that in my book. I didn't differentiate between cell types.

 

Specifically, he's trying to cure Huntington's disease (a mutation on chromosome 4). What I don't know (now that you've brought it to my attention) is what cells this DNA mutation is in. All of them? Just the brain?

 

I want to say that I posted to this forum back in July when I was writing the first book in the series, and I got a great reply that sent me in a fruitful direction. Thank you all for reading this and contributing!

[Endy0816]

No, you are correct that the DNA is basically the same. Red blood cells have none, some of your cells will have suffered some kind of damage, but generally remains true.

 

Meant that the effects would depend on the cells the DNA ends up in. If we just assume something goes awry in the procedure then things are okay, story wise.

 

You'd need to take a sample, duplicate those cells, extract the DNA and then inject. Then you need your immune system not to simply eat the foreign DNA and the DNA to make its way to the target cells. You would then need to enucleate the target cell and then renucleate it with the new nucleus. Then once more you need your immune system to refrain from trying to kill them.

 

Phenotype is what differs between cells. For the sake of the story, I would just assume a straight change based on DNA alteration.

 

DNA alteration impacting estrogen production is probably your best bet for a male picking up female characteristics. Huntington's disease itself though impacts the cells in the basal ganglia.

Edited April 30, 2014 by Endy0816