Thursday, July 26, 2007

The protein from Hell and lazy RNA researchers

A few things that I thought of during the PCBio meeting, when I should have been paying attention:

1) Luciferase is the protein that goes flash! in fireflies. It is named Luciferase because it was Hellish to purify and isolate. Of course, many proteins since then have also been hellish to purify and isolate, but this one came at a time when there was no protein named after the devil, so it got the name Luciferase.

2) A Luciferometer would be awesome. I don't know what it would measure, though. Luciferase assays are measured using Luminometers. Since Luciferase makes light.

3) I am so glad I am taking pictures of large things (nuclei) instead of trying to dechipher Electron Micrographs. The presenter called it "A sadistic Where's Waldo". I squinted and tried to see molecules above the static.

4) Steve only has Words of Wisdom when you don't ask for them.

5) RNA researchers validate their existence by saying that DNA and Protein are "has-beens". DNA and protein researchers do not need to put down RNA to justify their existence. Sort of like some chemists and physicists: they put down biology in order to validate their own research, while biology doesn't even care. Also sort of like the U Chicago/Northwestern rivalry that Northwestern is unaware of.

6) Courtesy of Steve: People have been saying that RNA is the place to be since I was in elementary school. If they aren't making progress in the research, it's a laziness issue, not an under-staffed issue.

And the only response to that: That's cold, Steve.

At least they are all vaguely science related.

Also, to prove that I am not alone in my wandering thought in lab, I overheard a conversation today about how to take out a bear with a machete. It was decided that you should play dead and then catch it unaware.

I think that a hunting rifle would be more effective, and probably less dangerous.

1 comment:

Duff said...

Taking a bear out with a machete is a sure fire way to get yourself killed. Hunting rifle would be good if it was a 30-06 or something larger. Shotgun is best option, with slugs. Or a muzzle loading .50 caliber with back up .44 magnum revolver. The problem with machete is that there is no good place to land a blow that would slice through an appendage or the neck, which are really your only hope. Also playing dead won't work, as I doubt you will be in a proper stance quick enough to actually get off an effective machete blow. There is technique to swinging a machete, it's all in a snap in the wrist at the very end, with a slight drawing motion. You can't really swing it like a hammer with much effect (I know this due to time clearing out roads in a swamp. James knows much more about machete technique from his Dom. Rep. days). Once you got it down, a sharp machete can go through about 2 inches+ of soft to medium hard wood without too much issue, but much beyond that is devilish (you also need to hit the wood grain correctly.)

Also I got rid of all my RNA so that my ribosomes have DIRECT access to the protein knowledge in my DNA. Middle men can only complicate things, or mess things up. The DNA has the pure, raw, uncut, natural information that my ribosomes desire, CRAVE and need.

Also, I immortalized all my cell lines in my body, SO I WILL NEVER DIE.

So I agree, RNA research is pointless, as pointless as RNA is itself.