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A comment on Microbes use arsenic in their DNA: Proves phosphorus is not required for life. Parent comment

Re:Microbes use arsenic in their DNA: Proves phosphorus is ... by cryptoz on Thursday December 02, 2010 @03:39PM (#1963562)
> This sounds really, really cool but it's still an organism that uses DNA

Are we 100% certain of that? I'm not a biologist, however it seems to me that DNA is in part defined by the usage of Phosphorus. Maybe we need to redefine DNA? Or does this organism not use DNA at all?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA#Properties

Please correct me if I'm not understanding correctly!

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Re:Microbes use arsenic in their DNA: Proves phosphorus is ... by badkungfu on Thursday December 02, 2010 @04:15PM (#1963685)
Yeah, I don't know either. Sounds like DNA is the strand/mechanism and using phosphates is all we know of so far. IANAS

But if it's not-technically-DNA-anymore because it can use an arsenate instead of a phosphate, it's still part of our tree of life. That's the part that seems to have dampened enthusiasm somewhat.

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