Xenoexpression - DimethylSulfate/drooldick GitHub Wiki

Xenoexpression is the ability to express generic material from other entities. It can be from others of the same species, or from entirely different species. People who specialize in xenoexpession are called xenoexpressionists.

DNA is a near-universal code shared by almost all living things. 'ATG' codes for the same protein structure in humans, buffalo, bees, moss, bananas, E coli, tuberculosis, and that strange scum growing under your bath mat.^[1] Scientists can take advantage of this by introducing DNA from one organism into another organism, such as taking the "make glowing green stuff" gene from a jellyfish^[2] and putting that into a mouse to create glowing green mice.^[3] But you can't just throw a bunch of DNA at a mouse and hope that the mouse starts glowing -- you need to insert the DNA into your target organism in a way that the target organism knows what to do with it, a process known as gene delivery.^[4] There are several ways of doing this, ranging from electrocuting cells to make it easier for the DNA to get inside^[5] to Literally A Gun.^[6] But most of these methods are not practical for gene therapy -- introducing new genes into a living human patient to treat disease.

Viruses are funky little... things (biologists are not in agreement as to whether they are truly alive^[7]) that present their DNA or RNA to your cells. Your cells cluelessly turn this genetic code into malicious proteins that turn each cell into a virus-making factory.^[8] In other words, viruses have perfected the art of getting other organisms to express foreign DNA, and for that reason are seriously researched for gene therapy in humans. This is not to say that engineering a virus to carry the correct genes and then infecting the patient with that virus is simple. There is a recorded case where a virus correctly delivered genes to help a patient's genetically-caused immune system dysfunction, but it put those genes into such a bad place that it effectively turned on a totally different cancer-causing gene and the patient ended up with leukemia.^[9] It's also worth keeping in mind that there are many different types of viruses, and they have different strengths and weaknesses when it comes to using them for gene therapy.^[10]

(Side note: mRNA vaccines such as the Moderna and Pfizer covid vaccines are not gene therapy nor do they contain viruses. They do contain RNA that some of your cells read as instructions to create a protein, but they get into your cells using a chemical reaction rather than hitchhiking with a virus, and that RNA does not integrate into your genome long-term. RNA also cannot stick around in your body for very long — it's far more delicate than DNA and tends to fall apart. This is why the mRNA vaccines must be kept in extremely cold freezers while being transported and are harder to use in countries without robust infrastructure compared to non-mRNA vaccines.)

Xenoexpression can use up a lot of energy, especially if building new structures. Typically this energy comes from some combination of blood glucose and breaking down fat or muscle. If a xenoexpressionist goes too far, they may start to break down vital parts of the body and essentially die of starvation-related organ failure — but they are likely to faint well before this point is reached. Xenoexpressionists who train under medical supervision have regular tests to keep them healthy. Those who are not able to keep such close track of their body tend to either make small expressions over time (Daoirse), or use this as an excuse to have two dozen slices of bacon for lunch (Zero). This is not to say that having extra fat to burn makes xenoexpression completely safe, as we shall see in the next section.

The human body needs a host of vitamins and minerals to survive and build new structures. Calcium is an easy example — bones are made of calcium, and trying to build new bone without enough calcium available is problematic. The human body already has a system for leeching calcium from bones when needed, and that can be tapped into when creating new bones. Of course, breaking down your existing skeletal in order to grow a new arm might not be a good tradeoff.

Essentially all forms of xenoexpression require zinc, because it is vital for producing proteins. Xenoexpressionists commonly take zinc supplements. However, too much zinc can throw off copper levels and cause ataxia, so balance is key. Zeitgabberim can detect their own copper deficiency quickly, as they lose their (normally very powerful) sense of smell. However, because the mild ataxia is common in infected already, zinc deficiency often cannot be spotted unless it gets so bad that xenoexpression simply does not happen, or until more time has passed for the digestive symptoms to arise. Zeitgabber xenoexpressionists will be pleased to learn that one of the best sources of zinc is their beloved fresh meat.

"Growing pains" are common when xenoexpressing. These are generally a dull ache and an annoyance rather than a real problem.

For xenoexpression involving the development of new body parts, it's worth mentioning that those new parts may be able to feel pain too. Skilled practitioners can purposely avoid building new pain receptors when growing new structures. For example, if Erin decides to grow a monkey tail, she could choose to give it no "pain receptors." This can backfire -- Taylor once grew a tail so numb that they couldn't feel when someone grabbed it, until they were swung through the air by it.

^[9] is not open-access, but is available through certain websites