15 ms·
How does it work given the 500-year half-life of the DNA?
by matrix_overload 2y ago
How does it work given the 500-year half-life of the DNA?
- fooker 2y agoI assume 1/4th of the DNA can replicate enough after 1000 years.
- rishav_sharan 2y agoHere's how I understand it, though I am just a layperson; As all the strands of DNA in the cells of the seed degrade in different ways, the cells can still patch up the damaged DNA.
- catlikesshrimp 2y agoMost of the DNA is non coding. Damage to it almost never compromises the genome. This neat trick works like the sacrificial metal on the hulk of ships. (Loose analogy)
- khrbrt 2y agoThe seed was still alive for those 1000 years. Still respirating from stored fats and carbs. Still performing cellular activities like DNA replication and repair. Also plants often have many duplicate copies of their genome per cell.