The evolution of insect swarms from XNUMX million years ago

Chapter 3 Genetic modification

Lin Yi's thoughts slowly extended into the Mother's Nest through the consciousness network between individuals. Immediately, in his consciousness, a series of double helix chain structures emerged from his memory - to be precise, they came from the instinct of the DNA chain, which the Mother's Nest absorbed. The DNA chain structures of all species are transcribed into special DNA structures and stored in the mother's nest.

Select a gene sequence, and the information contained in each fragment and even each base pair appears in your consciousness.

After reading as much key information as possible, Lin Yi quickly found out that there were three complete DNA sequences stored in the current mother nest, belonging to the horseshoe crab, the trilobite and the Sakaban turtle.

This is why a mother nest that seems to have nothing to do with the Horseshoe Crab can directly produce individuals of the Horseshoe Crab. In the same way, at this time, trilobites and Sakaban turtle individuals can also be directly produced.

However, even if the individuals of these two creatures are produced by the mother nest, there is a high probability that they will not become one of the nodes carrying Lin Yi and be directly controlled by his consciousness like the individual feather-winged horseshoe crabs.

Embedded in the gene chain belonging to the Horseshoe Crab are some strange gene segments, which are connected to the brain and nerve-related segments, and seem to determine the growth and development of special brain synaptic structures.

Lin Yi speculated that this is most likely the structure of the consciousness network that allows individual brains to be interconnected.

But with the current three nodes, an unknown mother nest and the cluster consciousness network composed of the primitive brains of two horseshoe crabs, it is quite difficult to carry Lin Yi's consciousness.

Facing the vast ocean of DNA information, reading some simple fragments is the current limit, and it is impossible to read these strange and complex sequences of information.

After thinking about it, his consciousness once again selected the gene sequence of the horseshoe crab and prepared to edit it - yes, edit the gene sequence. Although limited by the current small cluster consciousness network, the operations that can be performed are extremely limited, but this limited degree of editing has completely opened the gap between Lin Yi and other creatures.

The gene fragments that determine the special synaptic structure cannot be edited with Lin Yi's current ability. Therefore, in order for the produced individual to be connected to his consciousness as a node, the only thing that can be used as the main editing template is the gene sequence of the horseshoe crab.

The consciousness is directed towards the other two gene sequences. The information in the double helix chain structure was read, making Lin Yi fall into deep thought.

Then, he quickly locked on a key fragment, which was an inconspicuous change in the nervous system of the genetic sequence of the Sakaban soft-shelled turtle. Lin Yi couldn't help but sigh.

It was this inconspicuous change that allowed vertebrates to stand out in the large-scale arms race fought by heroes in the early Paleozoic Era. They eventually evolved the mandible, swept the world, and established an absolute mainstream status. Its specific structure is nothing more than a layer of sheath-like material surrounding the nerve - myelin.

This layer of myelin greatly improves the efficiency of nerve conduction, allowing vertebrates to evolve into behemoths more than tens of meters long without worrying about nerve signal transmission problems.

Looking at arthropods, the 2.5-meter-long horseshoe crab, the -meter-long horseshoe crab, is a close relative of the feather-winged horseshoe crab. If it increases in size, the weakening of nerve conduction speed will make them sluggish.

By inserting the gene fragment that controls the growth of myelin into the gene sequence of the horseshoe crab, and then slightly adjusting it, Lin Yi sensed that a new template - perhaps called a neuroenhanced horseshoe crab - could now be used The brood produces.

In theory, horseshoe crabs with upgraded nerve conduction efficiency can grow to larger sizes. But currently, Lin Yi has no plans to edit individual body shapes.

If the body size increases significantly, it means that many structures in the body need to be readjusted, and the amount of changes to the genetic sequence is not something Lin Yi can afford now. And if it's just a small increase, it doesn't mean much. After all, increasing body size requires consuming more nutrients to produce, but the improvement brought by increasing body size is quite limited and has not achieved a qualitative change.

Under such circumstances, it is better to use the saved nutrients to produce more normal-sized individuals and win through quantity.

As for the trilobite's genetic sequence, Lin Yi looked at it and gave up on the idea of ​​extracting certain fragments and editing them.

Just because these guys are so primitive, their appendages are completely undifferentiated, and even the legs and gills are still integrated into one body. The only redeeming feature of the whole body is that the armor is thick enough - but as we all know, stacking armor is a dead end, and Lin Yi doesn't have it either. A plan to edit the gene of the feather-winged horseshoe crab into an iron bastard.

……

After completing the editing of the genetic sequence, the individual feather-winged horseshoe crab that went out to hunt also successfully captured several Sakaban soft-shell turtles. Under Lin Yi's control, it skewered the prey with the long spines densely covered on its sickle limbs and brought them back. The mother nest continues to supply it with the production of more individuals.

With a thought, a neuro-enhanced horseshoe crab individual with a Sakaban soft-shell turtle myelin gene embedded in its genetic sequence was cultivated from the mother's nest.

The previous two common feather-winged horseshoe crab individuals were resting on the seabed near the mother nest, preparing to replenish their physical strength and prepare for the next hunt.

After a while, another vague connection became more and more obvious in the consciousness. Lin Yi knew that it was a signal that another individual feather-winged horseshoe crab was about to be cultivated.

The familiar sickle limbs poked out, and the newly born feather-winged horseshoe crab broke free from its restraints and stretched its body in the water with its exoskeleton still not hardened.

Lin Yi clearly felt that this individual's reaction speed was much faster, and his senses were also a bit clearer. This was the change brought about by the myelin structure.

Now, under Lin Yi's consciousness, there were already three individual feather-winged horseshoe crabs, one of which was a nerve-enhancing type embedded with myelin gene fragments. He already had some bolder ideas in his mind.

It has been a while since he came to this world, but the individuals he controlled have never left their mother nest too far, let alone this sea area that seems to be an inner bay.

Even within the known scope, the feather-winged horseshoe crab is not the most powerful creature in the Ordovician. If it acts rashly, there is still the risk of falling into prey.

Now, the birth of the nerve-enhanced feather-winged horseshoe crab has given Lin Yi some confidence - at least, the faster reaction speed brought by the upgraded nervous system allows him to take advantage of flexibility even if he encounters an opponent he cannot beat. Run away quickly.

What's more, even if you really die, the loss will only be a node in your consciousness. It will hurt your muscles and bones, but it will not be fatal.

Thinking about it, under Lin Yi's control, two ordinary feather-winged horseshoe crabs continued to stay in the mother nest, while the neurally enhanced feather-winged horseshoe crabs swung their wide and flat tails and paddle-like paddling feet, pushing the insect body slowly. Parting the waves, swimming, and taking steps of exploration in a new direction.

(End of this chapter)