Ancient Technology Activation Gene Article Index for
Ancient
Website Links For
Ancient
 

Information About

Ancient Technology Activation Gene




Some Ancient technology only needs to be "activated" by someone possessing this gene and it remains usable by those without the gene afterward. Some other technology, however, cannot be used by someone without the gene (for example, only those with the ATA gene can pilot the Puddle Jumpers ).

Not all gene carriers, however, can use the gene in the same way. For most of them, it requires training and practice, but a few (like Major Sheppard ) can do it easily and intuitively (in fact, this is why Dr. Weir insisted that he be part of the Atlantis expedition).

In the episode " Hide And Seek ", the Atlantis expedition team began to employ the In Vivo Retroviral Gene Therapy (using a deactivated mouse retrovirus) to transfer the Ancient gene expression to humans; however, only about 48% of those who undergo the procedure are rewarded with the ATA gene.

In reality, there ''has'' been experimentation with in vivo retroviral gene therapy, but despite some success (e.g. in treatment of Lung Cancer ), it is believed to be extremely dangerous, with serious side effects including Leukemia .

The episode '' The Tower '' reveals that some humans in the Pegasus galaxy also possess the ATA gene, though it is apparently rare there as well.


GENE CARRIERS FROM EARTH



Natural carriers



By gene therapy



Unknown source



Unsuccessful gene therapy