RE: DNA databases to be classified

[Lucky Green]

keyser-soze wrote:
> Scientists build polio virus from scratch
> 
> Scientists have built the virus that causes polio from scratch in 
> the lab, using nothing more than genetic sequence information from 
> public databases and readily available technology. 
> 
> The feat proves that even if all the polio virus in the world were 
> destroyed, it would be easily possible to resurrect the crippling 
> disease. It also raises the worrying possibility that bioterrorists 
> could use a similar approach to create devastating diseases such as 
> ebola and smallpox without having to gain access to protected viral 
> stocks.

I hope they don't try to patent this since I produced prior art for the
in vitro generation of human pathogens from genetic sequences going back
to at least 1995.

To quote Eric Hughes: "In the end it is all software".

--Lucky Green

RE: DNA databases to be classified

[Peter Gutmann]

"Lucky Green" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> quoted:

>The feat proves that even if all the polio virus in the world were
>destroyed, it would be easily possible to resurrect the crippling
>disease. It also raises the worrying possibility that bioterrorists
>could use a similar approach to create devastating diseases such as
>ebola and smallpox without having to gain access to protected viral
>stocks.

I saw this on BBC news.  It took a very sophisticated lab two years work to
produce polio.  They thought they might be able to do smallpox given about 20
years work.  They even managed to slip in an Internet reference in the story. 

I guess "We synthesised polio from RNA" just isn't newsworthy enough on its
own.

Peter.