Homeotic Genes and Body Patterns

[ysabetwordsmith]

That is home-otic, not homo-erotic.  These are genes that control the copy-paste function in organism development, along with different variations of a base concept (e.g. the same program can make a leg or a wing). 

This is very useful for gengineering.  One of the first things people usually think of is putting extra drumsticks on chickens.  That actually can work.  You have to hack out the calculations, though, and those are a pain in the ass.  A body part has to justify its existence.  A gengineer makes that choice -- but then you have to backtrack and figure out how much support it needs in terms of extra fuel, extra waste disposal, etc. and ensure the body has that.

Comments

[cmcmck]

I could all too easily see how one could misread that! :o)

[see_also_friend]

>>One of the first things people usually think of is putting extra drumsticks on chickens.<<

Easiest way I think would be to gengineer-replace the wings with an extra set of legs. Would probably make for unhappy unflying chickens, though. And then there are the ethical conversations around making critters that can't act like critters*...

(*Think Munchkin cats, having a hard time running and pouncing because of the short legs.)

Of course, one can also do the trick of buying extra drumsticks and dolling the bird up at the table.

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> Easiest way I think would be to gengineer-replace the wings with an extra set of legs. <<

True, you just flip the program, but then you get legs on the chicken's back, which looks weird and people don't like it. However, reduplicating the legs is almost as easy, and more appealing.

>>Would probably make for unhappy unflying chickens, though.<<

Commercial breeds already can't fly if bred for meat. Many of the duals can't either. Heritage breeds more often can, and some of the heritage egg layers actually need top netting if kept in a run or they'll fly out.

>> And then there are the ethical conversations around making critters that can't act like critters*...<<

*sighhhh* I have a long canned rant about this society's extreme irreponsibility with genetic damn-near-everything. Dogs and cats without muzzles that have breathing problems. No commercial turkey breed can reproduce naturally and most will fall over and die if held much past their harvest point. (Same with many chickens.) Racehorses with spindly legs prone to breaks. Gengineered corn which is a wind-pollinated crop. RAAAAAAANT.

Now if you want to put extra drumsticks on a chicken, you are responsible for making sure it can have a reasonably content birdlife until butchering time -- for instance, that it can walk, that it can absorb enough calcium to make those extra bones, that its heart and filtering organs can sustain the extra burden, that it's brain can figure out how to walk with four limbs, etc. But you don't have to worry a great deal about it escaping because chickens are so domesticated that they don't fare well in the wild: they get eaten. The escape risk is very low, even if you don't do the most responsible thing and grow them only on islands or ships where they couldn't reach the main biosphere.

Yes, I've permed a lot of gengineering principles and ethics.

>>Of course, one can also do the trick of buying extra drumsticks and dolling the bird up at the table.<<

Oh gods now I want to do that. It'd probably be possible by double-pinning them with toothpicks from the inside, although through-and-through skewers might be necessary. Topcoat with a heavy, dark herbal dressing to help cover the patchwork, something that will form a good crust.

Re: Thoughts

[see_also_friend]

>>Commercial breeds already can't fly if bred for meat.<<

I think they can at least flap their wings and feel the air, though.

>>Gengineered corn which is a wind-pollinated crop.<<

I wish people could sue the gengineer-companies for "trespassing and destruction of property" in the cases where you never wanted the gene-edited stuff in the first place.

>>Oh gods now I want to do that.<<

I got the idea from this story (but put down/swallow all beverages before reading):

https://notalwaysright.com/way-better-than-what-neelix-can-cook-up/132180/

[helgatwb]

So, the grocery store I used to work for sells six-legged turkeys for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Lots of butcher's twine and some metal skewers. It's a special order item.

*laugh*

[ysabetwordsmith]

That is so awesome.