Scientists, the funny species

As I struggle to retain the heart to study Crop Science now, it is rather a contradict for me to post something like this. But the truth is, I would have regretted had I not enrolled into Science. The image normally projected into people's mind at the mention of scientists, do not really do justice as science actually takes a lot of creativity and out of the world ideas!

In fact some of the genes in the world has the cutest names! Lemme give you a few NICE examples and for your information, gene names have to be in italics!

For Arabidopsis thaliana (plant)

SUPERMAN - A plant gene that regulates the development of stamens (male reproductive part) where it causes the growth of MORE stamens when mutated! So it is the male-ifying factor, or macho-inducing factor!

kryptonite - A gene that suppresses the function of SUPERMAN so the plant is less macho.

Clark Kent - Another form of the SUPERMAN gene differing only in terms of the more whimpish stamens produced. So, it is macho but not till the super level.

For Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly and almost-Lowena)

tinman - The mutated version of this gene causes flies to have no hearts just like the TinMan in The Wizard of Oz!

ken and barbie - Respective, both male and female flies lack external reproductive organs and why is it called Ken and Barbie? This doesnt really take a rocket scientist to explain, seriously.

daeh - Mutation of this gene causes the involution of the head! How poor of the fly rite? And why is it called daeh? Try "involuting" this word out!

cheap date - Mutation in this gene causes flies to be sensitive to no other than alcohol. And i tot they would be sensitive towards diamonds...phew.

For Homo sapiens (Humans, and you as well?)

pokemon - Abbreviation for POK Erythroid Myeloid Ontogenic factor. It is an oncogene. Which means mutation in it, causes cancer. And apparently, it is a master switch in cancer induction. Not so cute anymore ne?

Tigger - A transposable element or jumping gene!

**Gene names all taken from the Clever Gene Name Site.(http://tinman.vetmed.helsinki.fi/eng/intro.html)

So you see, scientists are actually very humorous people! Behind those glasses are a pair of funny eyes and inside that cranium is a funny brain.