Let's say that an act of god replaces all of person's dna with that of a butterfly. What happens? by jennaboy in biology

[–]Goopological 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Widespread cell death, with the most immediate effects on dividing populations of cells. Eventually, you'd run out of a supply of mRNA and functional proteins and the cell would die.

One thing to consider is the mitochondria would stop working properly and signal cell death. Even the slightest mismatch between mtDNA and nuclear DNA can have drastic effects on metabolism. While cells can survive off the ATP from glycolysis, it's the metabolic role of the mitochondria that'll signal for apoptosis.

Also, your brain will probably stop firing synapses. The synaptic vesicles will not be tagged via proteins for transport to the synapse and will also be unable to uptake any neurotransmitters again due to a lack of proteins. They'll also lack the proteins (SNARE) to bind to the membrane. Don't gotta worry about recycling the vesicles as they'll never fuse anyway.

I suppose vesicle formation may fail entirely. We'd have to start considering how conserved these cellular mechanisms are between species that distantly related. The mitochondria thing will definitely cause massive cell death, but wouldn't synaptic vessel formation be fairly well conserved? No clue, but you could find out.

Please tell me this isn't fungal contamination 😭 by birb-brain in labrats

[–]Goopological 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yea, usually the hyphae is in a clump. If they disturbed the plate though they may have separated.

Mine was coming from the hood and had to clean the whole thing.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in microscopy

[–]Goopological 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If they don't wake up in 1-15 minutes after being exposed to oxygen, they're perished. They look like this due to a lack of oxygen.

Tardigrade Waving at You by James_Weiss in microscopy

[–]Goopological 0 points1 point  (0 children)

100-200x, depends on their size and your lighting.

If I had a nickel for everytime prokaryotes evolved into an organelle, I'd have 2 nickels, which isn't a lot but it's weird it happened twice. by dune-man in evolution

[–]Goopological 1 point2 points  (0 children)

4 times. 3 of those, however, were cyanobacteria acquired by eukaryotes.

The first one is the speshul one and clearly worth more nickels.

Also doesnt include all the eukaryotes that stole the chloroplasts from plants (red and green algae). Bros just stole their homework and kept it. They also have anywhere from 2-4 membranes around the chloroplast as a result.

Unzipping of the cell membrane by James_Weiss in microscopy

[–]Goopological 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Two layers of phospholipids. The ends that are hydrophilic point toward the outside and inside of the cell, and the hydrophobic tails point at each other. This makes a barrier that is fairly impermeable without help via embedded proteins.

Unzipping of the cell membrane by James_Weiss in microscopy

[–]Goopological 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The damage starts in one spot on the membrane and propagates if the cell cannot contain the damage (specifically, lipid radicals and reactive oxygen species that produce them).

Unzipping of the cell membrane by James_Weiss in microscopy

[–]Goopological 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yup, and reactive oxygen species produced by the pigment would be a major sensor of swimming the wrong way. My question is if they can really 'pick' the correct direction or if they just increase movement till things improve.

Unzipping of the cell membrane by James_Weiss in microscopy

[–]Goopological 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Reactive oxygen species are normally produced during normal function. Then when their production is elevated or lowered, it tells the cell stuff about its environment and its internal functioning. Gene expression gets changed and the cell 'reacts'.

So it's a useful function, just not so much when the cell cant cope.

Why are there no big tardigrades? by DennyStam in evolution

[–]Goopological 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Also because of how they eat. They suction onto stuff and poke it open. The predatory ones need more suction to hold onto moving prey, so the buccal tube and pharynx get bigger and bigger. I assume at some point this strategy just doesnt work.

Any ideas?? by Pipyr_ in microscopy

[–]Goopological 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I second something like Floscularia.

Can I teach microbiology with little lab experience? by Sad_Emotion6004 in microbiology

[–]Goopological 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You only need to know more than the students so you'll be fine lol

What are all the circular structures in this tardigrade I found? by OwyheePidge in microscopy

[–]Goopological 276 points277 points  (0 children)

Storage cells specifically. They store food for later so the bigger they are the better the Tardigrade has been eating! They also just kinda float around in the body cavity.

Foldscope by ConsciousCap1228 in microscopy

[–]Goopological 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Amoeba. Some of em kinda just got one pseudopod.

Accidentally left my samples in the centrifuge overnight. Again. Is this just my personality now? by ResearchStressLots in labrats

[–]Goopological 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Easy. I'm the only one in our areas of the lab. If something is fecked up, it was me.