Naked Science Forum
Life Sciences => Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution => Topic started by: Paul Anderson on 03/03/2009 13:30:01
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Paul Anderson asked the Naked Scientists:
Hi Chris and team,
We are what we eat. There is concern about mad cow disease.
If I eat a malformed apple, what are the chances that whatever caused the malformation might adapt to affect me in some adverse way?
Could there ever be a cross over from plant to human of diseases, etc?
When I bang my elbow, it bruises and then heals. A similar thing happens when a tree gets nicked on the trunk. A scab forms and it 'heals'.
However, drop a peach and it bruises and goes bad.
Comments?
Regards
Paul
NZ
What do you think?
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If you're worried that a mutated gene from a mutant plant might somehow get into your DNA and mutate you as well, then don't fret. Such a thing does no happen. The DNA in a mutated fruit will be digested in your stomach. Your cells have no mechanism of incorporating foreign DNA into their own genetic code. Viruses, however, may indeed be capable of doing this. Fruit, however, cannot.
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If we were to be susceptible to mutations from p[lants then we should also be susceptible to their regular genes. I haven't gone green or sprouted roots, yet so I think we don't need to worry.
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If we were to be susceptible to mutations from p[lants then we should also be susceptible to their regular genes. I haven't gone green or sprouted roots, yet so I think we don't need to worry.
Erm..... I think perhaps I'd best go see my doctor, or horticulturist!!!(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fflowers%2F15.gif&hash=9a3b8d24ed3e064613052908fa4f2b85)
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Go to the podcast page. (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/show/2010.05.16/)
or [chapter podcast=2580 track=10.05.16/Naked_Scientists_Show_10.05.16_6278.mp3](https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenakedscientists.com%2FHTML%2Ftypo3conf%2Fext%2Fnaksci_podcast%2Fgnome-settings-sound.gif&hash=f2b0d108dc173aeaa367f8db2e2171bd) Listen to the Answer Now[/chapter] or [download as MP3] (http://nakeddiscovery.com/downloads/split_individual/10.05.16/Naked_Scientists_Show_10.05.16_6278.mp3)
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i would be a bit worried if that could happen [:)] but luckily it really can not.