Microwaving seeds to induce genetic mutation
Night23
know radiation and chemical matagens are usually used but how about
microwaves (i.e. putting seeds in the microwave oven and turning it on
high for 5 to 10 seconds). Would that be equivalent to a zap of low
level radiation or would I just be killing the seed?
Jeremy Harbinson
non-ionizing and thus not considered mutagenic; it lacks the energy per
quantum to beak chemical bonds, it will not be directly mutagenic.
all the best,
Jeremy Harbinson
Night23
is there ANY way at all I can cause a random mutation in the
genetic makeup of a seed using equipment/chemicals at home? I don't
want to go the natural selection route selecting for this and that trait
waiting for something interesting to show up. It just takes too many
generations. I want to mutate a bunch of seeds right off the bat, plant
them, see what germinates and if its interesting perpetuate that line.
Of course I know most will either not germinate or be 'sickly' but out
of a couple of hundred seeds and a few tries, I'm willing to bet there
will be some interesting mutation in there.
Someone mentioned caffein could temporarily unwind DNA. If so, will I
be able to mutate a bunch of seeds if I soak them in warm black
caffeniated coffee for 24 hrs?
Please let me know.
Thanks.
Jeremy Harbinson
that the operation of mutagens is non-specific, so if it mutagenize a seed,
then it will mutagenize an animal (for animal read human). So though there are
lots of mutagenic agents out there, they are things you don't want to have
around because the consequences of mutagenizing human DNA are things like
cancer, birth defects etc. I think the only chance you might have of
mutagenizing seed might be if you could find an industrial x-ray or gamma
source and expose the seed to that. There are chemical mutagens, but they will
be harder to get (though maybe I am missing something). Sorry I can't be more
helpful.
all the best,
Jeremy
Dennis R. Moore
wrote:
>Jeremy,
> is there ANY way at all I can cause a random mutation in the
>genetic makeup of a seed using equipment/chemicals at home? I don't
>want to go the natural selection route selecting for this and that trait
>waiting for something interesting to show up. It just takes too many
>generations. I want to mutate a bunch of seeds right off the bat, plant
>them, see what germinates and if its interesting perpetuate that line.
>
>Of course I know most will either not germinate or be 'sickly' but out
>of a couple of hundred seeds and a few tries, I'm willing to bet there
>will be some interesting mutation in there.
>
>Someone mentioned caffein could temporarily unwind DNA. If so, will I
>be able to mutate a bunch of seeds if I soak them in warm black
>caffeniated coffee for 24 hrs?
>
>Please let me know.
>
>Thanks.
Colchicine, an extract of Colchicum spp. is used to split chromosomes.
It is also prescribed as a treatment for gout. Sorry, I don't know the
treatment protocol for either use.
regards,
Dennis
Jeremy Harbinson
a polypoid); it interferes with microtubule formation, and these sub-cellular
structures are required to separate chromosomes during mitosis and meisosis -
if the chromosomes can't separate you end up with twice the number in the
daughter cells. It is a nasty chemical; see
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Vines/2259/colchicine.htm
for some info.
all the best,
Jeremy Harbinson
duncan vincent
"Jeremy Harbinson" <"Jeremy Harbinson"@users.tbpt.wau.nl> wrote in message
news:3B13B198...@users.tbpt.wau.nl...
> If the seed is hydrated, you will cook it. Microwave radiation is
> non-ionizing and thus not considered mutagenic; it lacks the energy per
> quantum to beak chemical bonds, it will not be directly mutagenic.
> all the best,
> Jeremy Harbinson
>
that is a real element). It works by ionizing the air in a small chamber.
Or ask an X-ray lab if you can leave a pack of seeds near their machine for
a few weeks. There is quite likely some kind of small nuclear reactor at
one of the big universities near you. Any solvent is a mutagenic, but at
levels high enough to produce more than a 1 in a 100000 chance of getting a
mutation would most likely just kill all the seeds. I would use caffiene
pills instead of coffee and I would make it 50 -100 times stronger than
coffee.
Night23
thread.
But the darn thing sounds so toxic it scared me just reading about it.
Accidentally getting just a little under the fingernails or breathing
the stuff in could cause death.
I was looking for safer ways of mutating DNA in seeds.
So far the only safe way I have heard of is using caffein although I
don't know how effective it is.
Another question I wanted to ask - how about running an electric current
through the seed or the seedling as its growing. Would that cause
mutation during cell division?
Night23
> Any solvent is a mutagenic, but at
> levels high enough to produce more than a 1 in a 100000 chance of getting a
> mutation would most likely just kill all the seeds. I would use caffiene
> pills instead of coffee and I would make it 50 -100 times stronger than
> coffee.
To me this sounds like the best idea as well. Soak a bunch of seeds in
a solution of caffein for a few days and plant them.
My other idea was to run an electric current from a battery either
through the seed or through the seedling as it grows. Whether an
electric jolt is able to cause error in DNA replication during cell
division... I know not. However, it sounds far safer to work with than
that horror colchicine.