Comments on: Genome quilts http://boingboing.net/2008/09/06/genome-quilts.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Mon, 20 May 2013 14:16:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: guy_jin http://boingboing.net/2008/09/06/genome-quilts.html#comment-277267 guy_jin Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-277267 if the orientation of the blocks encodes the letter, then it will be scrambled when turned upside down. if the orientation of the blocks encodes the letter, then it will be scrambled when turned upside down.

]]> By: ornith http://boingboing.net/2008/09/06/genome-quilts.html#comment-277538 ornith Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-277538 @8: There are really only 2 valid orientations, assuming you stick to normal bed cover sizes, for the same reason you can't turn a sheet sideways and have it fit on your mattress. @8: There are really only 2 valid orientations, assuming you stick to normal bed cover sizes, for the same reason you can’t turn a sheet sideways and have it fit on your mattress.

]]> By: Chevan http://boingboing.net/2008/09/06/genome-quilts.html#comment-277315 Chevan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-277315 "if the orientation of the blocks encodes the letter, then it will be scrambled when turned upside down." Not if start/stop codons are included. Assuming the common start/stops are used, the most common start of AUG would become the "stop" codon UGC, which isn't actually a stop codon. You'd just have to look and see if it's got the right stops and starts to check if it's oriented the right way. “if the orientation of the blocks encodes the letter, then it will be scrambled when turned upside down.”
Not if start/stop codons are included.

Assuming the common start/stops are used, the most common start of AUG would become the “stop” codon UGC, which isn’t actually a stop codon.

You’d just have to look and see if it’s got the right stops and starts to check if it’s oriented the right way.

]]> By: Modusoperandi http://boingboing.net/2008/09/06/genome-quilts.html#comment-277576 Modusoperandi Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-277576 <i>"This one is why you'll be bald at thirty, son, and this one is why I drink so much."</i> “This one is why you’ll be bald at thirty, son, and this one is why I drink so much.”

]]> By: trimeta http://boingboing.net/2008/09/06/genome-quilts.html#comment-277328 trimeta Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-277328 Actually, there are four possible orientations, not just "right side up" and "upside-down." But if you're encoding genes (as opposed to regulatory sequences, etc.), it should be easy enough to check all four orientations and look for the one with the largest open reading frame (that is, the longest sequence that makes sense as a protein). Or you could make sure your sequence starts with some sort of standard bar code, and check which orientation has said bar code. Actually, there are four possible orientations, not just “right side up” and “upside-down.” But if you’re encoding genes (as opposed to regulatory sequences, etc.), it should be easy enough to check all four orientations and look for the one with the largest open reading frame (that is, the longest sequence that makes sense as a protein). Or you could make sure your sequence starts with some sort of standard bar code, and check which orientation has said bar code.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2008/09/06/genome-quilts.html#comment-280426 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-280426 There are three billion base pairs in human DNA. For a quilt six feet by six feet, that would be two millionths of a square inch in area for each square. Get me a microscope and a loooong winter! There are three billion base pairs in human DNA. For a quilt six feet by six feet, that would be two millionths of a square inch in area for each square.

Get me a microscope and a loooong winter!

]]> By: travelina http://boingboing.net/2008/09/06/genome-quilts.html#comment-277398 travelina Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-277398 That's why I love BoingBoing readers! That’s why I love BoingBoing readers!

]]> By: Takuan http://boingboing.net/2008/09/06/genome-quilts.html#comment-277402 Takuan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-277402 the whole thing is silly. Once two quilts were finished and stacked together we would be overrun with quiltlets. Worse than bloody tribbles. the whole thing is silly. Once two quilts were finished and stacked together we would be overrun with quiltlets. Worse than bloody tribbles.

]]> By: rvidal http://boingboing.net/2008/09/06/genome-quilts.html#comment-278450 rvidal Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-278450 About a year and a half ago I found a bunch of ways folks were using DNA to make art or other fashionable items. Among them I found large paintings of your DNA running in a electrophoresis gel, molecular earings and the genome quilts! Here: http://my.biotechlife.net/2007/03/22/when-life-sciences-meet-design/ And more here: http://my.biotechlife.net/2007/04/25/wrap-yourself-up-in-your-genome-quilt/ About a year and a half ago I found a bunch of ways folks were using DNA to make art or other fashionable items. Among them I found large paintings of your DNA running in a electrophoresis gel, molecular earings and the genome quilts!

Here:
http://my.biotechlife.net/2007/03/22/when-life-sciences-meet-design/
And more here:
http://my.biotechlife.net/2007/04/25/wrap-yourself-up-in-your-genome-quilt/

]]> By: TharkLord http://boingboing.net/2008/09/06/genome-quilts.html#comment-277172 TharkLord Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-277172 I am entranced by their stegonographically palimpsestish qualities. Its so enjoyable when artsoscientificals find ways of presenting datacepts that reveal new information in patterns and forms. How comforting it would be to drift off to sleep curled up beneath a tumor-suppressing gene pattern. I am entranced by their stegonographically palimpsestish qualities.

Its so enjoyable when artsoscientificals find ways of presenting datacepts that reveal new information in patterns and forms.

How comforting it would be to drift off to sleep curled up beneath a tumor-suppressing gene pattern.

]]> By: scionofgrace http://boingboing.net/2008/09/06/genome-quilts.html#comment-277431 scionofgrace Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-277431 I LOVE when science and art intersect. This is wonderful. I LOVE when science and art intersect. This is wonderful.

]]> By: Takuan http://boingboing.net/2008/09/06/genome-quilts.html#comment-277176 Takuan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-277176 are the quilt squares impregnated with the amino acids? are the quilt squares impregnated with the amino acids?

]]> By: Jake0748 http://boingboing.net/2008/09/06/genome-quilts.html#comment-277177 Jake0748 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-277177 Of course. Of course.

]]> By: mello clello http://boingboing.net/2008/09/06/genome-quilts.html#comment-277185 mello clello Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-277185 I can see this being useful in some kind of post-human culture where gene-splicing is a folk art and families hand down their particular genetic triumphs through the generations by way of the ancient technology of quilting. I can see this being useful in some kind of post-human culture where gene-splicing is a folk art and families hand down their particular genetic triumphs through the generations by way of the ancient technology of quilting.

]]> By: cagleart http://boingboing.net/2008/09/06/genome-quilts.html#comment-280007 cagleart Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-280007 Question: "The blocks are placed in sequence." Does this mean left-to-right in rows as in reading (Western) text? Or alternating left-to-right with right-to-left, which I think would be better, as it is more similar to an actual unbroken spiral-shaped path. Question: “The blocks are placed in sequence.” Does this mean left-to-right in rows as in reading (Western) text? Or alternating left-to-right with right-to-left, which I think would be better, as it is more similar to an actual unbroken spiral-shaped path.

]]> By: Pipenta http://boingboing.net/2008/09/06/genome-quilts.html#comment-277201 Pipenta Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-277201 Is the artist a member of the Mme. Defarge knitting club? Is the artist a member of the Mme. Defarge knitting club?

]]> By: rvidal http://boingboing.net/2008/09/06/genome-quilts.html#comment-280808 rvidal Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-280808 Cagleart, that's a good point. Snaking it down would make it "closer" to the real thing. Cagleart, that’s a good point. Snaking it down would make it “closer” to the real thing.

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