Explained: What If All Our DNA Gets Lost

Almost 37 trillion cells are constantly replicating, living, and dying in our body as directed by deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) to keep us alive. DNA is the molecule that carries genetic information for the development and functioning of an organism. As all the cells are dependent on the DNA guidance for directions, what to do, and when to do it. So getting rid of our DNA wouldn¡¯t be a good idea.

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Without DNA around to tell everyone what to do, our bodies will start to dysfunction. First, we will start losing weight¡ªalmost 150 grams. DNA is like the library of our body; it has all the information it needs to survive and grow. Will we be able to identify ourselves if our DNA vanishes? To answer the question in all honesty, we wouldn¡¯t notice a thing when our DNA vanished.

Radiation poisoning, like the use of gamma radiation, can destroy your DNA. You won¡¯t be dead immediately; your body will work, but your immune system slowly collapses. The same thing would happen to you if all your DNA disappeared.

How long would we last without DNA?

Without the DNA, which gives instructions to the cells to divide and replicate, there will be no function to keep us alive. We wouldn¡¯t notice a thing until the next day.

The first approximation of the effect of vanishing all the DNA would be to imagine the worst round of chemotherapy ever. It works by blocking DNA and RNA metabolism.

Within less than 30 minutes, you¡¯d start feeling sick, along with nausea and hair loss.

Bone marrow cells, which are responsible for producing all the cells for the blood, divide more often than others. They¡¯d all just stop working without the DNA. The bone marrow is central to the human immune system; without it, you¡¯d lose the ability to produce white blood cells and red blood cells, and the immune system would collapse.

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At this stage, your body is vulnerable to even the simplest infection; even a mosquito bite can kill you.

Your cells are unable to divide, which isn't an issue in the short term for stable tissues like the brain and muscle, but that¡¯s not the same with other parts of the body. You'd have no platelets in your blood, so every tiny wound would bleed excessively, and you'd bruise easily.

After 5 days, your stomach will lose its ability to digest due to no cell production. Now, you¡¯d have to suffer from gastrointestinal disease, which would result in nausea, heartburn, bloating, and constipation.

When we are in our best bodily condition, we¡¯d normally lose about 40,000 dead skin cells in about an hour. While we¡¯re not synthesizing and not able to produce new cells, we¡¯d lose our skin within six or seven days. Followed by losing all our hair since our hair follicles would stop reproducing.

Lastly, we¡¯d have to die due to rapid infection or organ failure. The last few minutes of your life will be painful as you put up with abdominal pain, dizziness, and nausea. But the good thing is, nobody has lost all their DNA yet.

References:

Yamini C.S(2021) what If all our DNA vanished? Retrieved from Microbiology magazine.

WHAT IF YOUR DNA SUDDENLY DISAPPEARED? Retrieved from steemit.