LIFESCIENCE: Scientists Speed Up 'Evolution'

[speer@interport.net (speer)]

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ARS ELECTRONICA FESTIVAL 99
LIFESCIENCE
Linz, Austria, September 04 - 09
http://www.aec.at/lifescience
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Scientists Speed Up 'Evolution'

SEATTLE (AP) -- In a revolution in evolution that Charles Darwin never 
dreamed of, biotechnology companies are conducting high-speed evolution in 
test tubes to create everything from super laundry detergents to novel drugs. 
Called directed evolution, the process could prove one of the most important 
steps in biotechnology since genetic engineering. The idea is to discover in 
nature substances that perform in a certain way but have drawbacks -- like a 
cancer-fighting protein that can only be used in small doses because of side 
effects -- and force them to rapidly evolve to be better.


     

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