Starzl Mutation

From The 4400 Wiki, a fan encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

For the episode of the same name, see The Starzl Mutation.

Paula Nakata, one of the few with the mutation, and Darren Piershal

The Starzl Mutation is a slight alteration of the eleventh chromosome. The mutation is replicable, meaning people that people pass it onto their children. The Starzl mutation is both harmless and conserved in those offspring, they live normal healthy lives. There were at one time a total of 123 known people with this mutation. While the offspring of a 4400 returnee normally does not retain the ability to produce promicin, the offspring of a 4400 and a Starzl mutant will be "promicin-positive", meaning they will have abilities.

The Starzl mutation only exists in people living around Seattle and was the reason why all 4400s were returned there. It is the only place they are likely to encounter individuals who possess the Starzl mutation and therefore the only place they are likely to produce children with 4400 abilities. The mutation exist because in 1969 Seattle Presbyterian Hospital used a radiation machine with flawed dials to treat cancer patients. The radiation doses were wrong. This went on for just under five years. Once the hospital figured out what they were doing they tested everyone who had ever been exposed to it and in some cases the radiation induced the eponymous mutation.

The Starzl mutation was named after the company that made the faulty radiation machine.

Haspel Corporation discovered the Starzl mutation at the same time it was working with Isabelle Tyler and developing the enhanced soldier program. It is unclear if the projects are related, but at least some of the enhanced soldiers, including Darren Piersahl were informed about the mutation, and saw the list of people who had it.

[edit] People known to have the Starzl Mutation

• Paula Nakata
• Holly Martin
• Alex Messina
• Tim McCarren

[edit] Trivia

• The writers named the company and mutation after the real life Dr. Tom E. Starzl, the father of modern transplantation. [1]

[edit] External link

• Chromosome 11 (Human) - Wikipedia article on Chromosome 11