lpetrich
Contributor
I confess to great skepticism, because of what I know about human genetics. Something like 85% of our genetic variation is shared by all major population groups, and only 15% is different by continent. Understanding Human Genetic Variation - NIH Curriculum Supplement Series - NCBI Bookshelf
But that 15% codes for easily visible differences, like skin color, hair color, hair texture, eye color, facial features, ....
Would it be possible to have some organism look for some variant in that 15%?
First, cellular organisms. For the most part, they are stuck with what is in the intercellular fluid and on the surfaces of cells. But an organism may poison some nearby cells and make them burst. That will give the organism access to the cell's contents. Likewise, a multicellular organism may eat red blood cells and the like, releasing their contents.
A virus, however, is a replication-system parasite, multiplying inside a cell. That may give it access to the cell's genome.
Could you make a genetically targeted weapon? | Science | The Guardian - Thu 28 Oct 2004 07.21 EDT
British Medical Association: Biotechnology, Weapons and Humanity II
Bioweapons Targeting Specific Ethnicities: A Threat And Nanotechnology’s Promise For Defence – OpEd – Eurasia Review - March 27, 2023
Then mentioning nanoparticles, like Vaccine nanoparticles displaying recombinant Ebola virus glycoprotein for induction of potent antibody and polyfunctional T cell responses - ScienceDirect That's creating some imitation Ebola proteins and adding some other stuff to make the nanoparticles. So these nanoparticles are packaging.
Are racially specific bioweapons feasible? - Quora
None of the responders thought such weapons very feasible.
Ethnic bioweapon - also mentioning skepticism about the feasibility of such a weapon.
But that 15% codes for easily visible differences, like skin color, hair color, hair texture, eye color, facial features, ....
Would it be possible to have some organism look for some variant in that 15%?
First, cellular organisms. For the most part, they are stuck with what is in the intercellular fluid and on the surfaces of cells. But an organism may poison some nearby cells and make them burst. That will give the organism access to the cell's contents. Likewise, a multicellular organism may eat red blood cells and the like, releasing their contents.
A virus, however, is a replication-system parasite, multiplying inside a cell. That may give it access to the cell's genome.
Could you make a genetically targeted weapon? | Science | The Guardian - Thu 28 Oct 2004 07.21 EDT
British Medical Association: Biotechnology, Weapons and Humanity II
The BMA, which dismissed the idea of genetic weapons in a 1999 report (Biotechnology, Weapons and Humanity I), has lifted its new concerns from the work of a German group called the Sunshine Project. It looked at how mutations in our genome called single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) differ between specific ethnic groups and concluded: "Genome data in public databases revealed that hundreds, possibly thousands, of target sequences for ethnic specific weapons do exist. It appears that ethnic specific biological weapons may indeed become possible in the near future."
Rather than specifically triggering the toxic effects of organisms such as anthrax, the Sunshine project warned that weapons based on a new medical technique called RNA interference could shut down vital genes. If the sequence of the target gene varies between two different populations the technique could be used to interrupt key body functions in one population and not the other. "If as little as 10% or 20% of a target population would be affected, this would wreak havoc among enemy soldiers on a battlefield or in an enemy society as a whole," the group said.
Others say the concerns are exaggerated. "Trying to find a weapon that affects quite a few of one ethnic group and none of another ethnic group is just not going to happen," says David Goldstein, who studies population genetics at University College London. "Because all groups are quite similar you will never get something that is highly selective. The best you would probably do is something that kills 20% of one group and 28% of another."
The groups in question are also far broader than those associated with ethnic conflict. Geneticists can only distinguish between people with ancestry traced to regions such as Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa and East Asia.
Bioweapons Targeting Specific Ethnicities: A Threat And Nanotechnology’s Promise For Defence – OpEd – Eurasia Review - March 27, 2023
Looks like it would take a lot of biochemistry research to find some suitable target.One example of such a weapon is the so-called “ethnic bomb” that was reportedly developed by the former South African government during the apartheid era. This weapon was designed to target specific ethnic groups by exploiting genetic differences in the way the body metabolizes certain chemicals. The weapon was never deployed, but its existence highlights the potential for bioweapons to be used in this way.
Another example of a bioweapon that could target specific ethnic groups is the use of CRISPR gene editing technology. This technology allows for precise editing of genes and could be used to target specific genes that are unique to certain ethnic groups. This would allow for the creation of a bioweapon that is more lethal to one group than another.
Then mentioning which infectious agent to use, what mode of transmission, and how resistant to treatment.However, the practicality of such weapons is questionable.
Firstly, the genetic differences between different ethnic groups are relatively small, and it would be challenging to create a weapon that is specific enough to target only one group without causing unintended harm to other groups. Secondly, the use of bioweapons in warfare is illegal under international law, and their use would result in severe consequences for the nation or group that deploys them.
Then mentioning nanoparticles, like Vaccine nanoparticles displaying recombinant Ebola virus glycoprotein for induction of potent antibody and polyfunctional T cell responses - ScienceDirect That's creating some imitation Ebola proteins and adding some other stuff to make the nanoparticles. So these nanoparticles are packaging.
Are racially specific bioweapons feasible? - Quora
None of the responders thought such weapons very feasible.
Ethnic bioweapon - also mentioning skepticism about the feasibility of such a weapon.