|
Post by Lullaby on Feb 9, 2017 12:31:37 GMT
"Anything that could classify as your power kicking in?"
|
|
|
Post by Flynneus_Knight on Feb 9, 2017 12:45:26 GMT
"Oh right," he nodded. He tooka seat on one of the chairs in the room, clasping his hands. "Yes actually. I didn't understand at the time, but when I first got to uni, my hands were sort of vibrating, you know? Little bursts of speed. Like my mother's ability. I've also had weird dreams throughout my life but those only started to become really clear after the accident."
|
|
|
Post by Lullaby on Feb 9, 2017 12:49:08 GMT
"So it's quite possible you alreay had developing powers. It is just the Vertex set it off," said Lois, pulling her hair back into a hairnet and putting on her labcoat and goggles. "I'm so excited." She beamed. "How much do you remember about DNA from school?"
|
|
|
Post by Flynneus_Knight on Feb 9, 2017 13:02:53 GMT
Herbert started grinning too. Her enthusiasm was contagious and it was interesting to learn about this!
"Not much," he smiled. "Dominant genes, double helix. The fact it carries genetic information. So I'm guessing the gene for evolved humans is being carried by a strand of DNA," he smiled ruefully. "Not sure really but that's why you're here."
|
|
|
Post by Lullaby on Feb 9, 2017 13:21:00 GMT
"Basically," she said, running to a whiteboard and picking up a pen. "On a very basic level, DNA looks like a double helix," she said, drawing it. "But you knew that. What we're looking at are pieces of that called genes. A gene is a piece of a chromosome that marks a certain genetic condition. DNA is made up of four chemical bases: adenine, guanine, cytosine and thymine. These are the criss-cross bits here." She pointed to the pieces connecting the double helix. "And these make a long code, easy to replicate within a cell. And you do this by breaking down the DNA of your good. So you are literally what you eat." Whe giggled at her own joke. "Sorry. Basically these codes provide instructions on what colour your eyes are or if you have a genetic disease. But most of the DNA strands are conmplete rubbish. It makes no actual sense. It's like reading a sentence where someone slammed the keyboard randomly between words. I reckon Super genes are hidden in this bit."
|
|
|
Post by Flynneus_Knight on Feb 9, 2017 13:26:15 GMT
Herbert nodded. "Okay, makes sense, I think. Could you pinpoint how a specific power worked from that somehow? Like why there are different ones?"
He moved to the board, pulling on his goggles. "So what's next?"
|
|
|
Post by Lullaby on Feb 9, 2017 13:57:23 GMT
"Well the first thing is to extract your DNA from the skin cells I got from your swab." She smeared Herb's swab across a slide. "Once I have an example I could take a sample I your blood and replicate it. And then we can split it up."
|
|
|
Post by Flynneus_Knight on Feb 9, 2017 14:00:45 GMT
"Awesome. Do you want the blood now, or? Wait," he looked curious. "How are you going to 'extract my DNA?"
|
|
|
Post by Lullaby on Feb 9, 2017 14:23:29 GMT
"The best DNA is in cell nuclei. Putting your blood through a cenrefuge will isolate cell nuclei and then I can pull it out and dry it. DNA when unwound is so long you can see it. It's white and once dried out will be easy to break up with DNAase. That's hhe prep for your bit. Whilst the centrefugfe is working though we can compile Vertex theories using our twins as an example. Firstly..." Lois looked at the slide under the microscope... "I'll try and open this nucleus to let you see the DNA..." She focused the microscope and turned on the screen so Herbert could see. "You see that... There... That is your cell and that..." She zoomed in closer. "Is the nucleus." She picked up a very fine needle. "Now... I just need to jab it..."
|
|
|
Post by Flynneus_Knight on Feb 9, 2017 14:27:08 GMT
Herbert let most of that fly over his head. "Okay, so do you have a needle, for my blood or something?" He noticed what she wax down by and raised his eyebrows. "What will jabbing it do?" Truly Herbert was lost; he suddenly had the wish to replicate knowledge too, but he didn't think his power worked like that.
|
|
|
Post by Lullaby on Feb 9, 2017 14:30:21 GMT
Lois poked the cell under the microscope gently. Her hands were remarkably steady. The needle went into the cell nucleus and she gently pulled it back. Something white and stringy followed it. "Herbert Flynn. Meet your DNA."
|
|
|
Post by Flynneus_Knight on Feb 9, 2017 14:38:40 GMT
Herbert looked closer at it, frowning. "Doesn't look like much," he joked. "So, do you analyse it now? or are you going to compare it to the other samples you have, the twins?"
|
|
|
Post by Lullaby on Feb 9, 2017 14:54:56 GMT
"We will use the maps I already have of the twins to try and locate a genetic defect in the superpowered twin." Lois took her eyeaway from the microscope. "Once we have that we know where to look we can see if there is something similar in yours."
|
|
|
Post by Flynneus_Knight on Feb 9, 2017 14:58:21 GMT
Herbert just nodded. He couldn't say much really; this was up to her. "Let's see then."
|
|
|
Post by Lullaby on Feb 9, 2017 15:28:31 GMT
"Just a second," said Lois. "Pass me that slide over there. I need tyo store this first." Then I'll show you my computer. I spent a lot of last night running mapping."
|
|