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Topic: Does regeneration change DNA (Read 174 times)

garethl
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Does regeneration change DNA
« Thread Started on Oct 4, 2011, 5:22pm »

This is just a question that popped up recently.

Does regeneration change a Time Lord's DNA?

If, for example, the police would take a DNA-sample.
Would the police be able to identify him/her after he/she regenerates?

My guess would be yes, it changes, and no, they won't be able to identify him/her?

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Rel Fexive
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Re: Does regeneration change DNA
« Reply #1 on Oct 4, 2011, 7:04pm »

Since it would make it too easy to get away with stuff if changed completely, I would say it would read like regeneration-1 was a (distant?) sibling of regeneration-2. Still enough to bring them in for questioning but not enough to say it was them outright.

Plus, I think the less advanced the testing technology of the police in question the more weird the DNA would come out as. Tech up to our current level would just not work at all except in a very basic ("hey it's that weird DNA again!") way - Time Lord DNA has got to be very complex and/or different for them to have the physiology they have. Higher tech levels will be used to alien DNA so would cope much better.

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stahlman
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Re: Does regeneration change DNA
« Reply #2 on Oct 4, 2011, 9:29pm »

Is DNA a universal constant?
That seems a bit too Star Trek / X files to me

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Re: Does regeneration change DNA
« Reply #3 on Oct 4, 2011, 11:22pm »

For simplicity, probably, even if aliens just have something very similar that advanced tech can read/analyse just the same. Which also explains why pre-alien contact tests would just detect "weird" instead.

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Re: Does regeneration change DNA
« Reply #4 on Oct 5, 2011, 2:49am »

DNA may not be the constant - but some form of replication programming is necessary for reproduction. For AIs for example, this would be the fundamental core programming. Obviously for non-carbon based life forms you'd not have DNA because you don't have amino acids. It'd be some other form of long chain chemical that can be broken down into packets and interpreted during birth.

I would have DNA change for regeneration - however, the biodata would remain the same. So you'd need "time capable" technology level to detect it.

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Escher
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Re: Does regeneration change DNA
« Reply #5 on Oct 5, 2011, 3:15am »

In 'The End of the World' Jabe scanned the Doctor's DNA and saw he had a set of strands for each regeneration so I guess it changes.

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da professor
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Re: Does regeneration change DNA
« Reply #6 on Oct 5, 2011, 9:24am »

My guess is that Timelords have multiple strands of DNA and the set which is EXPRESSED changes with regeneration. DNA testing would show up a hopelessly polluted sample to any tech not sufficiently advanced to know what was going on, but a state of the art lab run by a genius who already knew he was dealing with Timelord DNA, and what that entailed, might be able to make, or rule out, identity of a previously known individual for whom they already possessed a confirmed sample. The sample might have to be bigger than needed to test human DNA, and it would certainly take a lot longer to run the test, but it could allow UNIT to determine that a particular Timelord corpse is/is not that of the Doctor or the Master...the only two Timelords they have had enough contact with to acquire tissue samples.

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garethl
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Re: Does regeneration change DNA
« Reply #7 on Oct 5, 2011, 12:59pm »

Thanks for all the answers.

Quote:

In 'The End of the World' Jabe scanned the Doctor's DNA and saw he had a set of strands for each regeneration so I guess it changes.

Quote:

My guess is that Timelords have multiple strands of DNA and the set which is EXPRESSED changes with regeneration.

Does this mean you can predict how a next regeneration might look?

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Rassilon
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Re: Does regeneration change DNA
« Reply #8 on Oct 5, 2011, 5:59pm »

Oct 5, 2011, 12:59pm, garethl wrote:

Does this mean you can predict how a next regeneration might look?

In the series, no.
You could have some kind of future projection though like the Watcher in Logopolis or Cho-Je / K'anpo in Planet of the Spiders.
However, some Time Lords like Romana and River Song could choose how they looked. Romana (Destiny of the Daleks) could temporarily slip into a new regeneration before finalizing it. River Song's "I'm concentrating on a dress size!" and then her surprise at her new look (Lets Kill Hitler) suggest she could partially affect her next regeneration.

« Last Edit: Oct 5, 2011, 6:20pm by Rassilon »

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Craig Oxbrow
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Re: Does regeneration change DNA
« Reply #9 on Oct 5, 2011, 9:08pm »

And probably the Master as well - he appeared with the same face a few times, and even when he changed actors he had a definite style.

Basically (for out-of-character reasons) the Doctor is the worst regenerator we've seen.

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zebaroth
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Re: Does regeneration change DNA
« Reply #10 on Oct 6, 2011, 12:47am »

Oct 5, 2011, 9:08pm, Craig Oxbrow wrote:

read somewhere that most timelords could not control there regenerations
a few like the master could

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cliffordjones
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Re: Does regeneration change DNA
« Reply #11 on Oct 6, 2011, 5:44am »

Oct 6, 2011, 12:47am, zebaroth wrote:

Oct 5, 2011, 9:08pm, Craig Oxbrow wrote:

read somewhere that most timelords could not control there regenerations
a few like the master could

Romana I chooses to regenerate into Romana II.

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garethl
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Re: Does regeneration change DNA
« Reply #12 on Oct 6, 2011, 1:29pm »

With multiple DNA-strands, it might be that some Time Lords can mix and match genes from multiple strands. A bit like controlled Chromosomal Crossover.

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Escher
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Re: Does regeneration change DNA
« Reply #13 on Oct 6, 2011, 4:27pm »

Lets not forget Jenny is Peter Davisons daughter. Forward thinking by the writers?
If we impose a deeper meaning on this then Time Lord DNA transferred for breeding or cloning might include a previous incarnation's DNA...

« Last Edit: Oct 6, 2011, 4:28pm by Escher »

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