Gene-Engineered Mouth Bacteria • Hacker News Board

Re: Gene-Engineered Mouth Bacteria

#11

Post by lvh » Sun, Sep 24, 2023, 5:04 PM UTC

mytailorisrich wrote: post #2

Great except for the ethanol thing...

It's pretty unlikely to cause an intoxicating effect: it's surrounded by the mouth, so it'll be taken up almost instantly. It never gets to accumulate, so I'd expect the impact is far less than even something like kombucha.

I wonder what the religious implications might be.

Re: Gene-Engineered Mouth Bacteria

#12

Post by gostsamo » Sun, Sep 24, 2023, 5:04 PM UTC

mytailorisrich wrote: post #2

Great except for the ethanol thing...

Yeah, sure. A milliliter of etanol a month versus pain and drop of quality of life. Who would choose that!

Re: Gene-Engineered Mouth Bacteria

#13

Post by jackblemming » Sun, Sep 24, 2023, 5:04 PM UTC

This sounds like great additional protection, but I would still like to brush and floss to get the remaining food grime out of my mouth. Meaning it really doesn’t change my life all that much.

It would certainly be a game changer for lower income families.

Re: Gene-Engineered Mouth Bacteria

#14

Post by SomaticPirate » Sun, Sep 24, 2023, 5:05 PM UTC

So its patent encumbered? If there was a time for the “bio-hackers” this would be it. I heard everyone can perform some basic CRISPR so could we make this bacteria at home?

Re: Gene-Engineered Mouth Bacteria

#15

Post by gweinberg » Sun, Sep 24, 2023, 5:05 PM UTC

mytailorisrich wrote: post #2

Great except for the ethanol thing...

I'd be willing to give it a shot.

Re: Gene-Engineered Mouth Bacteria

#16

Post by thriftwy » Sun, Sep 24, 2023, 5:05 PM UTC

I wonder why it does not happen naturally if they outcompete normal bacteria, though.

Bacteria has great speed of evolution.

Re: Gene-Engineered Mouth Bacteria

#17

Post by tgv » Sun, Sep 24, 2023, 5:06 PM UTC

clarkrinker wrote: post #5

Small price to pay

Tooth decay or brain and liver damage? Or reducing sugar?

Re: Gene-Engineered Mouth Bacteria

#18

Post by madengr » Sun, Sep 24, 2023, 5:06 PM UTC

WD-42 wrote: post #3

So are you just drunk all the time instead?

[dead]

Re: Gene-Engineered Mouth Bacteria

#19

Post by 4death4 » Sun, Sep 24, 2023, 5:06 PM UTC

Now just to engineer them to produce menthol instead.

Re: Gene-Engineered Mouth Bacteria

#20

Post by ceejayoz » Sun, Sep 24, 2023, 5:07 PM UTC

matthewtse wrote: post #6

mytailorisrich wrote: post #2

Great except for the ethanol thing...

> It is possible to genetically engineer Streptococcus mutans, the dominant human mouth bacteria, to produce ethanol instead of cavity-causing lactic acid I hope it's in such small quantities that it wouldn't cause any alcoholic effects? Nonetheless, such a simple website with short and concise copy. Wasn't expecting that for a biotech startup. Hope it works, cavities suck!

Auto-brewery syndrome! https://www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks/oct-26-2019-world-s-loudest-...