What will happen to our bodies protein's when one gets near a black hole or a cosmic string fragment?

Question

Basically our proteins and RNA for that matter fold in specific ways due to the construction of the amino acids or the basses in the case of RNA. A slight difference in the structure can make a big difference. Or proteins (lets ignore RNA from now on) developed and exist in a 3D Euclidean space, but near a black hole or a segment of Cosmic String it is non-Euclidean. Ignoring radiation belts and other hazards, would this mean that due to the effect of the type of space that a person would be affected by the altered structures of the protein? Could a person even live long with the warped structure?

Answer 1

I am not a physicist, I am a Molecular Biologist. I will answer your question in terms of protein structure and I will RNA since it does follow similar rules.

Protein structures are what makes the protein active and as you said shape of protein is very important for function.

You have a active site within an enzyme (which is a protein). Also within this enzyme, you also have other non-important structures (I can't really say not important, but lets just say the non-active site).

Now if you damage the active site, for example, yo have a misplaced amino acid => (implies that) incorrect function or no function at all. If you miplace an amino acid in the non-functional regions, then you can still affect the protein because it will produce the wrong r-group bonding and hence produce an incorrect structure, if near the active site.

RNA enzymes play within the same area, but you are now delaing with nucleotide bases, as you know. Lets just ignore the fact the a wrong misplaced nucleotide can produce a mis-functioning RNAzyme (it can but this will make this answer too complicated and it won't answer the goal of this question). If you stick a Mg2+ ion, you can  make an active center and make a primitive RNAzyme RNA polemerase.

Anyway, we know structure and active centers are important for function.

I do not know what csmic strings are, but I do know some information on black holes (I may be wrong, or it may not be as complex). I know that black holes act like a vacuum. If a black hole came near a biologial organism (not to dramatically pull the organism towards the center, but only to feel the affect of the black hole (slight stretching)).

So, the person would stretch and be pulled. Now replace the person with a cell.

The cell would be pulled. The cell membrane has surface proteins which will be pulled and stretched out, making them not useable because this will start breaking the R-group bonding.

Now if we remove the the cell from the vacuum, then the proteins make go back to normal. But when the damage is done, the proteins may not fold into the correct orientation again and fail in the functioning aspect.

Assuming none of the DNA, RNA polemerase, and other RNA's are not damaged, then some of the proteins can be replaced, but if there are too many ruined, then the cell would die.

The answe to your question is: No the person will not live. Poor protien structure will yield to poor protein function.

good luck.

Answer 2

Since we did not evolve with that pressure, we have no defense. Our cells would be disrupted, causing death.  

Answer 3

they will be crushed, as with everything else in our body.

make it a good day