Methinks we are delving way too deep into genetics here. Keep in mind that Fallout was designed by game developers, not by people with PhD in biology. From what's said in the game we can draw that FEV is a retrovirus that upgrades infected cells to quad-helix structure and possibly repairs inherent genetic flaws (otherwise the tetraploidy would likely lead to accumulation of negative or even lethal mutations). I believe it is also said that FEV is capable of fixing only cells that have exactly 46 chromosomes, so gametes (and possibly aneuploid somatic cells) are destroyed rather than evolved. Insane Wanderer stated that the Glow computer says reproductive cells aren't destroyed but replicated, but I don't recall reading that anywhere - can someone with a savegame near Glow check that? If my memory is correct, then it would explain a lot of things, including why the parental generation is rendered sterile. If not, it creates a whole load of new questions. If a) FEV doesn't destroy gametes but makes them diploid, and b) infected organism gains improved regenerational abilities (thus becoming virtually immune to genetic degradation) - then wouldn't the fertilized egg retain the same qualities and be capable of repairing errors that were inflicted during meiosis I? I speculate that perhaps the parent's antibodies - being apparently powerful enough to repell virtually any "foreign" cell, from infectious bacteria to organism's own cells that became altered beyond repair (ever heard of a supermutant with cancer?) - indiscriminantly destroy the parent's own gametes, since they are likely full of errors due to unstable, error-prone tetrades formed in meiosis I. But this is all pure speculation and game developers themselves would probably wonder what the fuck we are talking about if they saw this debate.
Also, nothing in the game really indicates that radiation caused multiple FEV strains to be created (though it's very likely to happen, as FEV is an RNA virus and thus more prone to mutations). If anything, I'm pretty confident that supermutants were created using the original strain of FEV, since Mariposa vats likely weren't overly exposed to radiation. Large quantities of the virus that leaked out of the facility were much more likely to mutate into new strains, however, and I imagine that's why so many diverse mutations occured throughout the wasteland. Damaged and potentially defective strain of FEV, combined with host cells that were badly damaged by excessive amounts of radiation, are what probably led to inception of ghouls, radscorpions, brahmin, giant rats and other creatures. What I'm wondering about is to what extent all these creatures were affected by FEV, and how come they weren't rendered sterile? It seems reasonable to assume that all these species have become tetraploid, which gave them hardiness and resistance needed to survive in the wasteland. Brahmin's two-heads are another curious twist - my guess is that normal, domesticated cows already posses a recessive gene for two heads, and evolution to quad-helix structure allowed this gene to become dominant. It is definitely a useful trait, since it allows the cow to take in twice as much food and water, which is crucial for survival in the wasteland.
As for restoring mutant fertility, I doubt anything can be done in that respect. Insane Wanderer offered an interesting idea that might still allow them to reproduce, so I will expand on it with my above speculation. My theory assumes that supermutants are still capable of producing gametes at some point, so why not try and extract them before they are destroyed by the parent's metabolism, and then fertilize the egg artificially? The fertilized egg should be capable of self-repair. If not, we can always extract appropriate proteins (or whatever is responsible for DNA repair) from a parent's body and inject it into the fertilized cell. When the fetus grows, it can be implanted into the mother's uterus. Keep this up for a few thousand years, and maybe a random mutation might lead to birth of a species of fertile supermutants, which would undoubtedly quickly replace the "original" supermutants through the process of natural selection. Infrastructural and technological obstacles for such process in a post-apocalyptic word are another story, and frankly may be too grave to overcome.
Thorgrimm said:
Ah, it is good to see that NMA is still populated with vermin, who only come out of the dark to make fun of their betters. Another example of the 'superior intellect' you show Ratty, ratlike stupidity. As far as i can tell from your idiocy, you have not contributed anything but trolling stupidly on the Fallout boards. When you are able to rub two brain cells together and create something besides trollbait, then let me know. As i would enjoy greatly the sight of true intellect, not the parroting of it you show here. Get lost boy and don't bother your betters.
I honestly don't know what kind of an extra-terrestrial brazenness monster laid its larvae into your brain, but you have gone so far out of line with this post that it isn't even mildly amusing. If intellect is maniphested in ability to write unprovoked flames directed against people you don't even know, in response to posts that are clearly nothing more than a silly joke, then I prefer remaining the stupid rat that is unable to "rub two brain cells together", as you eloquently put it. Once you pull your head out of your ass, maybe you will come to understand that my purpose on these boards isn't to keep you pleased, and that crudely insulting a board regular without reason or provocation is frowned upon here. I took the liberty of skimming through some of your older posts, curious to see whether profound arrogance and lack of basic etiquette are present in all of them or if they are reserved only for me. Revelation dawned on me when in my search I came across a thread about your Civ 3 Fallout mod, where I criticized some of its aspects and offered some friendly suggestions. Though you reacted very civilly that time, now I truly see how well my criticism was received. I see maturity and ability to take constructive criticism aren't among your traits.
If you want any kind of reaction from me other than utter contempt in the future, your next post better be an apology. Until then, go find a mirror and masturbate to your own reflection, you rude, arrogant, unmannerly, egoistic, humorless piece of net trash.
Another example of the 'superior intellect' you show Ratty, ratlike stupidity. As far as i can tell from your idiocy, you have not contributed anything but trolling stupidly on the Fallout boards. When you are able to rub two brain cells together and create something besides trollbait, then let me know. As i would enjoy greatly the sight of true intellect, not the parroting of it you show here. Get lost boy and don't bother your betters.