by Ryan | 13th December 2007

Glow-in-the-dark transgenic pets are the latest exploit from genetic scientists.

South Korean scientists at Gyeongsang National University have created glow-in-the-dark cats. By introducing green fluorescent protein genes into the cloning process, scientists were able to breed white Turkish Angora cats that glow in the dark and are visibly red when viewed under ultraviolet light. Green flourescent protiens are originally isolated and extracted from jellyfish and are what cause jellyfish to glow. You’re cat will never be able to sneak up on you in the night again.

The 2 cats, cloned from an altered skin cell of their mother, are nearly a year old. Funded by the Korean government, this research is more than just trying to create colorful creatures. It may provide insight into genetic diseases of both animals and humans. One notable product of animal gentics research is hypoallergenic kittens and dogs.

Glow-in-the-dark transgenic animals are not a new phenomenon. GloFish, the world’s first transgenic pets, are brightly colored zebra fish that glow under normal and ultraviolet light. Glow-in-the-dark pigs, complete with glow-in-the-dark hearts and internal organs, have also been cloned. Can we look forward to glow-in-the-dark hotdogs at the market? However, don’t expect to purchase any of these animals in a pet store in the near future. Purchase of GloFish have been banned in some states and other fluorescent animals are only cloned for scientific research.

Source: CNet News

by Ryan | 13th December 2007

Glow-in-the-dark transgenic pets are the latest exploit from genetic scientists.

South Korean scientists at Gyeongsang National University have created glow-in-the-dark cats. By introducing green fluorescent protein genes into the cloning process, scientists were able to breed white Turkish Angora cats that glow in the dark and are visibly red when viewed under ultraviolet light. Green flourescent protiens are originally isolated and extracted from jellyfish and are what cause jellyfish to glow. You’re cat will never be able to sneak up on you in the night again.

The 2 cats, cloned from an altered skin cell of their mother, are nearly a year old. Funded by the Korean government, this research is more than just trying to create colorful creatures. It may provide insight into genetic diseases of both animals and humans. One notable product of animal gentics research is hypoallergenic kittens and dogs.

Glow-in-the-dark transgenic animals are not a new phenomenon. GloFish, the world’s first transgenic pets, are brightly colored zebra fish that glow under normal and ultraviolet light. Glow-in-the-dark pigs, complete with glow-in-the-dark hearts and internal organs, have also been cloned. Can we look forward to glow-in-the-dark hotdogs at the market? However, don’t expect to purchase any of these animals in a pet store in the near future. Purchase of GloFish have been banned in some states and other fluorescent animals are only cloned for scientific research.

Source: CNet News