Surgery Godfather
Chapter 1344 - 1018: Misunderstanding, Wife!

Chapter 1344: Chapter 1018: Misunderstanding, Wife!

The Tumor Laboratory is managed by Lu Xiaolu, which gives Yang Ping great peace of mind. Lu Xiaolu’s research field is fundamentally in tumor studies, and indeed, he is a rare talent. The achievements he obtained before were under suppressive conditions, yet now, with his body and mind completely liberated, he is more likely to achieve scientific breakthroughs.

After getting off work and returning home, Yang Ping played with his son for a while, changed his diaper, and held him in his arms, talking about the various surgeries performed at the hospital. Surprisingly, the little guy didn’t cry or fuss, instead, he listened with a smile and excitedly kicked around.

Xiao Su was working out in the home gym, her postnatal recovery going exceptionally well. Yang Ping’s mother and Mrs. Su were working together in the kitchen cooking, while Professor Su and Yang Ping’s father were having a chat in the living room, seemingly critiquing a war movie. The family got along very harmoniously.

One advantage of having the system was the ability to engage in work at any time. After finishing the story for his son and placing him in the crib, the little one blinked sleepily, evidently tired, and soon fell asleep. At that moment, Xiao Su finished her workout.

"I’ll watch over him, you take a break," said Xiao Su.

"I’ll just take a quick nap right here," Yang Ping replied.

Xiao Su knew Yang Ping’s habits well; he liked to use fragmented time for rest, which is why he’s always bursting with energy like an ox.

Yang Ping took a quick nap in the bedroom chair, and without hesitation, used the free time to enter the System Space Laboratory. In accordance with the experimental needs, he purchased various equipment from the System Mall, and quickly the hardwares necessary for the experiment were all set up.

To employ the M13 Bacteriophage in carrying the K factor, one must first study the structure and function of the M13 Bacteriophage. Only by thoroughly understanding it, can one better modify it, and make it work for oneself.

Through the special imaging system of the electron microscope, the M13 Bacteriophage appeared on the electron screen, exhibiting a unique and fascinating form.

In terms of morphology, the M13 Bacteriophage appears long and uniform, like a delicate line. The ratio of its length to diameter makes it remarkably conspicuous under the microscope. The shell is composed mainly of the coat protein p8, which is tightly arranged to form the protective layer of the bacteriophage. Under the microscope, one can clearly see these layers of protein structures, orderly arranged, safeguarding the internal genetic materials of the bacteriophage.

For the first time, Yang Ping felt that the protein structure of such a microbial assembly was so beautiful, he couldn’t help but marvel at the precision and aesthetic of biology, even more harmonious and beautiful than any man-made machinery.

The activity of M13 Bacteriophage is also very characteristic; when they encounter appropriate host cells—such as Escherichia coli containing the F plasmid, they display their infective power. Under the microscope, one can observe the M13 Bacteriophage attaching itself to the F pili of Escherichia coli through its minor coat protein p3, marking the first step of infection. Once attached successfully, the M13 Bacteriophage begins to inject its DNA into the host cell.

After injecting DNA, the M13 Bacteriophage uses the host cell’s resources to replicate. Under the microscope, one can see changes taking place inside the infected cell, with new bacteriophage particles gradually assembling within the cell. This process is crucial to the lifecycle of the bacteriophage and key to their propagation in nature.

It is noteworthy that after infecting the host cell, the M13 Bacteriophage doesn’t cause the host cell to lyse like some bacteriophages would. Instead, they secrete new bacteriophage particles from the infected cells while the host cells continue to grow and divide. This characteristic gives the M13 Bacteriophage a unique value in biological research. However, for Yang Ping, this is not an advantage, but a disadvantage.

The electronic screen continues to broadcast the observations of the morphology and activity of the M13 Bacteriophage under the microscope, like an enchanting journey of exploration. Their intricate structure, unique mode of infection, and distinct lifecycle all showcase the marvels of nature and the charm of biodiversity.

Just such a simple virus is so exquisite; one can only imagine how incomparably intricate and sophisticated the human body is.

Watching the bacteriophages on the screen, Yang Ping was lost in thought, eager to quickly finish the whole experiment. Little did he expect that starting over would open up a whole new world.

If they are modified to become killers that can infect tumor cells, they would no longer infect Escherichia coli, but precisely attach to the membranes of tumor cells. Then, through their long filamentous tails, what they inject wouldn’t be just DNA, but DNA and the K factor. Once inside the cell, the K factor initiates apoptosis in the tumor cells while the DNA allows the bacteriophage to replicate and strengthen.

If the M13 bacteriophage can be modified according to the targets, it will reveal unique traits. They will no longer be mere parasites, but become "intelligent warriors" that actively attack tumors. This process involves precision genetic engineering, enabling these tiny creatures to play a crucial role in the battle against cancer.

However, the modification process is bound to be difficult and complex. Modifying the M13 bacteriophage is intricate and precise.

First, it’s necessary to determine which genes or proteins need to be modified or added to achieve the anti-tumor effect, which usually involves precise editing of the bacteriophage genome, including the insertion, deletion, or replacement of specific gene segments.

But for Yang Ping, it is obviously not that complicated because he has mastered the K factor, which can initiate apoptosis in tumor cells. He just needs to combine the K factor with the adhesion proteins on the surface of the M13 bacteriophage and then make the bacteriophage capable of recognizing and contacting tumor cells. The rest of the work is as easy as following a water channel. For a more sophisticated approach, mix the K factor with the DNA inside the bacteriophage, so that after the bacteriophage infects a tumor cell, it injects the DNA mixed with the K factor into the cell.

The K factor can initiate apoptosis in the tumor cell, ultimately killing it. During this process, the DNA can also recycle the cell’s internal material to support the bacteriophage’s own replication and growth.

After planning the experiment, Yang Ping left the remaining work to the mechanical arms in the laboratory, letting them continuously modify the bacteriophage, then pair it with the K factor for testing. According to estimates, the M13 bacteriophage could be modified to obtain hundreds of millions of different bacteriophages—to find out which one can bind to the K factor and which one can recognize tumor cells is a huge trial-and-error project. The System Space Laboratory excels in trial and error, and Yang Ping has left this to automated equipment to complete.

Stepping out from the System Space, Yang Ping yawned. Dinner was probably not ready. Xiao Su curiously asked, "You only slept for a moment, why do you seem energized like you’ve had a shot of adrenaline?"

"I was pondering a question," said Yang Ping.

"What question?" Xiao Su asked curiously.

"I was wondering how bacteriophages inject DNA into cells. Their long tails are like thick tubes. When they find a cell they like, they immediately lock on to it, then insert their tail into the cell and powerfully inject the DNA. I’ve been thinking about this the whole time, so the more I think about it, the more excited I get." Yang Ping was indeed contemplating this issue just now.

Listening to him, Xiao Su felt something was off in the description. Then, as if realizing something, she balled her fists and punched Yang Ping’s chest.

"You really have a lot of energy! After performing surgery all day, you’re still thinking about injecting DNA?"

"Darling, I really was just thinking about injecting DNA into your body—oh, that came out wrong. I mean, I was thinking about how bacteriophages inject DNA into cells," Yang Ping blurted it out excitedly, mixing his words up.

Misunderstanding, darling!

My thoughts are pure; I was really thinking about scientific research just now.