DNA Sequence Reconstituted from Water Memory?

Water carrying only the electromagnetic signature of a DNA sequence can make a replica of the sequence out of simple building blocks, Nobel laureate HIV researcher shows. Dr. Mae-Wan Ho

When Noble laureate HIV researcher Luc Montagnier discovered that certain bacterial and viral DNA sequences dissolved in water causes electromagnetic signals to be emitted at high dilutions, that was bad enough (see [1, 2] 'Homeopathic' Signals from DNA and Electromagnetic Signals from HIV, SiS 48). Now, new results from his lab appear to show that the DNA sequence itself could be reconstituted from the electromagnetic signal. That has so stunned the scientific community that one prominent supporter was nonetheless moved to remark: “Luc is either a genius or he is mad!” But some quantum physicists are taking that very seriously, and are linking Montagnier’s findings to decades of research demonstrating the sensitivity of organisms to extremely weak electromagnetic fields.

A story that goes back ten years

Luc Montagnier tells the story that began 10 years ago when he discovered the strange behaviour of a small bacterium, Mycoplasm pirum, a frequent companion to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection; and like the HIV, has special affinity for the human lymphocytes (white blood cells) [3]. He was trying to separate the bacterium of about 300 nm from the virus particles of about 120 nm using filters of pore size 100 nm and 20 nm, starting with pure cultures of the bacterium on lymphocytes.

The filtrate (solution that went through the filter) was sterile, and no bacterium grew in a rich culture medium that would normally support its growth. Furthermore, polymerase chain reactions (PCR) based on primers (short starting sequences) derived from adhesin, a gene of the bacterium that had been cloned and sequenced, failed to detect any DNA in the filtrate.   

But, to Montagnier’s surprise, when the filtrate was incubated with lymphocytes that were not infected with Mycoplasm (according to the most stringent tests), the bacterium was regularly recovered.

So, was there some information in the filtrate responsible for directing the synthesis of the bacterium? That marked the beginning of a long series of investigations on how DNA behaves in water, which led to the discovery that the M. pirum DNA was emitting low frequency electromagnetic waves in some diluted solutions of the filtrate in water, and this property of M. pirum DNA was soon extended to other bacterial and viral DNA [1, 2].

The instrument used to detect the electromagnetic (EM) signals consists of a solenoid (a coil of wire) that detects the magnetic component of the waves produced by the DNA solution in a plastic tube as it induces an electric current in the wire. This current is amplified and analysed in a laptop computer using special software, and the resultant signals plotted out on the computer screen.

Electromagnetic signals traced to DNA sequence

In summary, ultra-low frequency (500 – 3 000 Hz) electromagnetic (EM) signals were detected in certain dilutions of the filtrate from cultures of micro-organisms (virus, bacteria) or from the plasma of humans infected with the same agents. The same results were obtained from their extracted DNA. The EM signals are not linearly correlated with the initial number of bacterial cells before filtration. In one experiment, the EM signals were similar in suspensions of E. coli cells varying from 10⁹ down to 10. It is an “all or none” phenomenon. The EM signals are detected only in some high water dilutions of the filtrates; for example, from 10^-9 to 10^-18 in some preparations.

In the case of M. pirum, an isolated single gene, adhesin (previously cloned and sequenced. 3 435 basepairs) could induce the EMS, suggesting that a short DNA sequence is sufficient to induce the signals. Similarly, a short HIV DNA sequence of 104 basepairs is enough to produce the EM signals.

Some bacteria do not produce the EM signals (at least in the range detected by the instrument), as in the case of probiotic bacteria such as Lactobacillus, and also some lab strains of E. coli used as cloning vector.

These studies have been extended to viruses, but not all virus families have been investigated. Similar EM signals were detected from some retroviruses (HIV, FeLV), hepatitis viruses (HBV, HCV), and influenza A cultures. In general, EM signals are produced by 20 nm filtrates of viral suspensions or from the extracted DNA. In the case of HIV, RNA is not a source of the EM signals, but rather, the EM signals are produced by the proviral DNA present in infected cells. In bacteria, however, the EM signals are produced by 100 nm filtrates, and not by the 20 nm filtrates. This led Montagnier’s team to suggest that nanostructures of water are carriers of the information. Although highly purified water was used, the presence of trace contaminants in the nanostructures cannot be ruled out. The production of EM signals is resistant to treatment with the enzymes RNAse, DNAse, protease, or with detergent. However, it is sensitive to heat over 70 ºC and freezing (-80 ºC). This sensitivity is reduced when dealing with purified short DNA sequences. To produce the EM signals, succession (vigorous shaking) is necessary, as well as stimulation by the electromagnetic background of very low frequency, either from natural sources (the Schumann resonances, which start at 7.83 Hz) or from artificial sources, such as the mains.

DNA sequence recreated from its electromagnetic signature in pure water

In the new experiments, a fragment of HIV DNA was taken from its long terminal repeat and used for generating EM signals. This fragment was amplified by PCR to 487 bp and 104 bp. Dilutions of the DNA were made and the production of EM signals under the ambient electromagnetic background was detected.

One of the diluted solutions (say, 10^-6), which gave a positive signal, was placed in a container shielded by 1 mm think mu-metal (an alloy that absorbs EM waves). Close to it, another tube containing pure water was placed. The water content of each tube had been filtered through 450 nm and 20 nm filters and diluted from 10^-2 to 10^-15, as for the DNA solution. A copper solenoid is placed around the tubes and they were exposed to a low intensity electric current oscillating at 7 Hz produced by an external generator. The magnetic field produced by the external generator is maintained for 18 hours at room temperature. EM signals are then recorded from each tube. At that point, the tube containing pure water also emits EM signals at the dilutions corresponding to those giving positive EMS in the original DNA tube. This result shows that the EMS carried by the nanostructures in the water originating from the DNA has been transmitted to the pure water in 18 hours. No such transfer of EM signals was achieved when the time of exposure was less than 16 to 18 hours, or when the coil is absent, or when the generator of magnetic field was turned off, or the frequency of excitation was less than 7 Hz, or when DNA was absent in the ‘donor’ tube.

Now for the most crucial test: could the EM signals transmitted to the pure water that never had DNA in it provide sufficient information to recreate the DNA sequence? To do the test, all the ingredients necessary for synthesizing the DNA by the polymerase chain reaction – nucleotides, primers, polymerase enzyme - were added to the tube with the pure water that had gained the EM signal. The amplification was done under ordinary conditions, and the DNA produced was then run through an agarose gel electrophoresis.

A DNA band of the expected size (104 bp) was found. It was 98 percent identical to the sequence of DNA from which the EM signals originated (only 2 out of 104 basepairs were different).

The experiment was highly reproducible, 12 out of 12 times; and was also repeated with another DNA sequence from the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease.

Bringing bacterium back to life from its DNA signals?

This suggests an explanation for Montagnier’s original observation made ten years ago that the bacterium could be reconstituted from a sterile filtrate incubated with human lymphocytes. The EM signals of all the bacterium’s DNA were in the sterile filtrate. The nanostructures induced by M. pirum DNA in the filtrate carried information representing different segments of its genomic DNA. Each nanostructure, when in contact with the human lymphocytes, directs the synthesis of the corresponding DNA by the DNA polymerases in the cell. There is then a certain probability that each piece of DNA recombines within the cell to reconstruct the whole DNA genome of Mycoplasm. From there, the synthesis of the rest of the bacterium – membrane lipids, ribosomes, and proteins – could take place, thanks to the host cells. One single reconstituted Mycoplasm is sufficient to infect the lymphocytes. “All the steps assumed in the regeneration from water can be analysed and open to verification.” The researchers wrote [3].

They remind us that indeed, Craig Venter’s group had claimed to have created life by first reassembling an entire Mycoplasm genome from pieces bought off the shelf (see [4] Synthetic Life? Not By a Long Shot, SiS 47). So at least that step is not impossible.

The finding also dovetails with evidence that molecules intercommunicate by electromagnetic signals, which bring them together for biochemical reactions (see [5] The Real Bioinformatics Revolution , SiS 33). However, it raises the fundamental question of how water could store and receive electromagnetic information of such precision that a DNA sequence could be reproduced without a template, which is how it is normally done.

The answer takes us on a fascinating journey through decades of research on the exquisite sensitivity of organisms to ultraweak electromagnetic fields, and the quantum electrodynamic theory of water (see [6] Quantum Coherent Water, Non-thermal EMF Effects, & Homeopathy, and other articles in the series, SiS 51).

Article first published 20/07/11

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References

1. Ho MW. ‘Homeopathic’ siganls from DNA. Science in Society 48, 36-39, 2010.
2. Ho MW. Electromagnetic signals from HIV. Science in Society 48, 40-43, 2010.
3. Montagnier L, Aissa J, Del Giudice ED, Lavallee C, Tdeschi A and Vitiello G. DNA waves and water. Journal of Physics: Conferences Series, 2011, in print arXiv:1012.5166Ms
4. Ho MW. Synthetic life? Not by a long shot. Science in Society 47, 16-17, 2010. Science in Society 33, 42-45, 2007.
5. Ho MW. The real bioinformatics revolution. Science in Society 33, 42-45, 2007.
6. Ho MW. Quantum coherent water, non-thermal EMF effects, & homeopathy. Science in Society 51 (to appear).