Or fungal hocus-pocus
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Swedish public invest huge resources
into science. Swedish labs are rich and academia workers are
well-fed. With such resources talented scientists can make useful
discoveries or develop new technologies. Scientists that lack talent
but still have dignity would at least provide the reliable & true
results. What can you say about people, who spend huge resources to
produce frauds?
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
I will explain the main trick, which
for the decades helps the “scientists” at the Department of ForestMycology and Plant Pathology, Swedish University of AgriculturalScientists get publishable results.
The story starts when a sample of
soil is taken from a forest or a field. In old time scientists, who
studied soil did enormous work: they dug deep pits, brought huge soil
specimens, and took many samples to ensure that result are true.
Modern academia inhabitants bring a pinch of soil to the lab,
grimacing fastidiously even at this tiny amount of the real nature (see
all the modern publications: 0.5 g and very rare 1 g of soil is
used). From this point already a study loses realism. But who
says that modern academia inhabitants care about realism? They care
about “publishable results” (the favorite expression in modern
academia)! So, although the pinch of soil cannot provide reliable
results, it is enough to give the odor of environmental study. Now
the task is to cook up the body.
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So, a tiny sample arrives to a lab.
Let's assume that this pinch of soil has 4 fungal species living
there (pic 1). Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Pic 1
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
The first step is to extract fungal DNA
from soil. In a good lab researchers will prevent that any other
fungi would contaminate the sample (pic 2)
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Pic 2
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
In fraud-generation lab the point is to
enrich samples! Fungi that live in a lab, or on human skin is
only the minor source of contamination. Plus, they can be easily
recognized as human-associated and will be interpreted as a sign of
poor lab practice. The better source of contamination is required. And in
our Department this source has been successfully created and
maintained for decades! This source are the ghost fungi. The
advantage of the ghost fungi are that they can be produced in the lab
during the routine analysis. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
The thing is that the amount of DNA
extracted from a pinch of soil is so tiny that it cannot be detected.
Thus this amount of DNA must be increased artificially up to
detectable level. DNA amplification is done with so called polymerase
chain reaction (PCR). PCR increase the amount of DNA approximately in
230 times. In other words, instead of one original
molecule of DNA there will be 230 copies of this molecule
after the reaction. PCR is an amazing tool in a knowledgeable hands.
Unfortunately, as any powerful tool in the absent of control it can
serve for mischiefs. DNA copies produced during PCR are very
stable and can survive months if not years under lab environments. In
the good labs leaking of DNA copies from test tubes is strictly
prohibited. In my home lab it was not allowed even to open tubes with
DNA copies. If anybody forgot about the taboo, this unmindful person
would spend a week cleaning with a toothbrush every millimeter of the
lab where the crime was done, corridors and all neighbor labs.
But in the Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology DNA
copies from all tests are dis-incarcerated. Tubes with DNA copies are
left open. In few hours they dry into dust every speck of which
contains trillions DNA copies (pic 3). This DNA dust spreads across by
seriously looking people in white coats, darting between labs.
Finally, all labs are heavily populated with the ghosts – copies of
fungal DNA from all previous experiments.
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Pic 3
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Under such haunted environments all new
samples will be contaminated (pic 4).
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Pic 4
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Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
But this level of contamination is
still too little for the impressive results. Don't worry! The same
PCR that helps to produce ghosts will help to obtain required
results!
Well, now our sample with four fungal species undergoes PCR. If
PCR analysis is done correctly, 4 fungi that were in the original sample will
give 4 signals. Several types of control are used to prevent
possible errors (pic 5).
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Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Pic 5
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Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
In fraud-generating lab all controls
are canceled and all errors are welcomed. Polymerase chain reaction
has a highly creative nature and can join DNA molecules into
combinations that never exist in the Nature. These new DNA-creatures
even in scientific jargon are called chimeras. In addition to
chimeras, PCR can create other types of monsters. As a result from 4
fungi, which originally inhabited the sample and 6 ghosts that
arrived later, it is possible to get hundreds different signals (pic 6). In
the end, it will look like not 4 but hundreds fungi lived in the original pinch of
soil. In the publications the DNA copies from all PCR-monsters will be named “unculturable fungi” and their DNA copies
will be saved in special repositories as a treasure.
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Pic 6
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Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Now results already start looking
impressive!
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Compare: the correct procedure can provide only 4 fungi
and to get such pauper result researcher needs sweating in the
lab, preparing all kind of controls, preventing contamination and
repeating analysis if errors are detected. In contract, control-free,
quality-careless practice brings meaty results and demands very
little efforts.
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Well, this is just one reason why this
mis-practice has been adopted at the Department. The other reasons
need special consideration and will be discussed later.
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
