what would happen if scientists were to fuse plant DNAs with human DNAs?

Question

for example: have half of a typical plant's DNA and fuse with our half.

Answer 1

It's probably been done. But, there are serious ethical issues at stake. So, I don't think that we'll learn about it any time soon.

The reason that I'm relatively certain that it's been done is that we know how to do it. And, if history is any kind of guide, we tend to do whatever is possible.

I know that we have the technology because, about 20 years ago, scientists working for one of the tobacco companies spliced some genes from a lightning bug into the gene strand of a tobacco plant. It worked. The new plant (with animal genes as part of its composition) became slightly illuminated at night, extending the amount of time that farmers had to harvest their crops. So, cross-species fertilization is nothing new.

Answer 2

Visionary's right. There's a reason you don't see any Humanzee's. :-)

Now if you wanted to do just a single gene, that would be a different story. A lot would depend on the gene's specific function and where you added it to the rest of the genetic code.

Many forms of life actually share quite a number of genes, even between plants & animals. Certain enzymes or proteins, for instance, are produced in a wide variety of life forms. You could switch a plant gene which codes for a certain enzyme with an animal gene that codes for the same thing, and the result would be...nothing different at all.

This is why I'm not afraid of genetically-engineered food. Those molecular biologists actually know what they're doing. (Unlike their critics!) Genes selected for cross-species transplant are chosen specifically because their function is well-known; there really is very little "let's see what happens when we throw in this random gene" in genetic engineering. And at the genetic level, there really isn't any such thing as an "animal gene" or a "plant gene"; just a bunch of molecules & peptide sequences which code for some or another form of protein.

Answer 3

Actually, we all have some plant DNA. Surprised? Well, 30% of our body's energy is devoted to maintaining 'junk' DNA, stuff whose only purpose is to replicate itself endlessly without actually doing anything for us. Bacterium are one of the most prolific carriers of plant DNA. Just as they can absorb it so do we. Nothing bad happens. Other than we waste our energy. Do some research. You'll be amazed how the body processes foreign DNA.

Answer 4

Nothing except a mess isn't possible for God in His wisdom programmed DNA to only be compatible within the one and same species-Human is unable to mix with plant or animal;Plant DNA can't be mixed with animal and so on. For were it possible then only ethics would prevent it being done and we know where that would take us-Plantman-sorry-only in our imagination.

Answer 5

Al Gore

Answer 6

It would create one heckuva meat-eating plant!

Answer 7

Little Shop of Horrors!!!!

Answer 8

I don't know, could it develop ? plants use "Mitosis" for cellular division, as where Animals (that would be us Humans) use "Meiosis" for cellular division

Answer 9

nothing. chromosome length and numbers don't match up, so it wouldn't work

Answer 10

"invasion of the body snatchers"?