An alien zaps away all of your DNA; what are the consequences?
Dude, just what is your fascination with the removal of DNA?
Well, it certainly would put to stop to all cell reproduction. I suppose the first effects would be on whatever system needs the quickest cell replenishment.
It would also put a stop to the production of mRNA, the creation of which is one of the early steps of protein synthesis. Without synthesized proteins, essentially nothing in the body would function. Those few things that could work without those proteins would cease to do so very, very quickly as the organism dies.
Every cell would go into apoptosis, which means a total and immediate atrophy of all your inner organs. Without your brain, lungs, and heart, I imagine your death would be pretty instantaneous.
I expect you’d die within hours.
If the sudden absence of DNA didn’t cause the histones and such that control DNA’s conformation to go berserk and bind to things they’re not meant to bind to, killing you immediately, then the inabilty to make more short lived proteins would kill you slowly.
Many proteins/enzymes last less than a day before they are degraded.
For example:
Ah, pooh! I was hoping to commit a few crimes, leave some bodily fluids around, and watch the detectives go batshit when the lack of DNA evidence came back.
Just think what a merry conundrum you’ll give the CSI folks when they find your shriveled and dessicated body at the crime scene!
Death would happen, as it usually does when a major component of the body is suddenly yanked away like a magic trick.
Given that red blood cells can exist for IIRC 120 days without DNA, I don’t know if death would be all that fast. Of course, they are evolved for it so I doubt a normal DNA-less cell would live nearly as long.