A note: Junk DNA was/is a term used for DNA that we don't know a purpose for. It doesn't mean it doesn't have a purpose tho. More and more we are finding that the spacing of genes is partcularly important to their regulation, and that there are processes that don't require full genes (only partial ones... usually quite small fragments that look like a gene but aren't) that act in mass regulation of a cell.
I perfer not to ever use the term junk DNA - since I think that's probably incorrect. Many of this "junk" is useful, we just don't know how it works... and it's likely it plays a role in some diseases that are genetic in natue but we haven't tracked down the genes to. If you want me to look at any "genetic" reasoning you have in your game for wizardry I'll look at it and make suggestions. Email me off list - because I get a lot of email, and I don't always read this list very carefully. -Sue (a real life geneticist) ----- Original Message ---- From: Coyt D. Watters <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: The GURPSnet mailing list <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, April 29, 2007 6:47:21 AM Subject: Re: [gurps] Fake scientific genetics for Magery... On 29 Apr 2007 at 2:21, Anthony Jackson wrote: > Johannes Trimmel wrote: > > > You could also make a model where in some locations only the mixed version > > gives magery. AA and BB are mundane, AB is a mage. Then you never run out of > > mundanes. > > Though to keep it down at 2% you want about 5 such genes. I like the > 'useful if you have one, lethal if you have two' option, though. Or > possibly the 'useful if you have one, if you have two you grow up to be > a Mad Wizard' NPR did a story on Friday about some genetic research which indicates that for some reason, the so-called "Junk DNA" is involved in some way in type-II (Adult onset) diabetes, along with I think 5-6 genes. The exact mechanism isn't known yet, since genes control creation of protein, while the junk DNA doesn't control the production of protein, it is doing SOMETHING. This would be a way to model a genetic reason for wizardry, a handful of "wiz genes" plus some required junk DNA, more junk DNA more power. But make the wiz genes recessive, so the boolean ANDING required to even have Magery0 is pretty rare. Another way to control the numbers of mages is the genetic combination makes the mage's gametes weaker and thus less likely to effectively reproduce. So mixing a Magery5 and Magery10 couple is likely to produce NO children, not a high-power mage. ======================================================== -Coyt "The Internet, billions of electrons with nothing better to do." _______________________________________________ GurpsNet-L mailing list <[email protected]> http://mail.sjgames.com/mailman/listinfo/gurpsnet-l _______________________________________________ GurpsNet-L mailing list <[email protected]> http://mail.sjgames.com/mailman/listinfo/gurpsnet-l
