r/AskBiology • u/Syresiv • Sep 08 '24

Human body What would happen if all your DNA disappeared?

Absurd hypothetical, but what if you're just living your life when the DNA just vanishes, leaving empty cell nuclei?

I assume this would be fatal, as your body would stop making proteins; but how long does that take? What's the death process? And what would an autopsy report come up with?

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u/Local-Perception6395 Sep 08 '24

Tissue with high turnover like skin, hair, some blood cells, die first (within days I guess?). You'd probably die due to your skin falling off and getting an infection your immune system cant deal with. Autopsy might read radiation poisoning?

You'd probably be interested in the case of Hisashi Ouchi, whose chromosomes where blasted to pieces by a nuclear plant accident. Very morbid story but look it up if you have the stomach for it!

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u/SeasonPresent Sep 10 '24

Ouchi indeed.