Bulging Mutant Trout Created: More Muscle, More Meat

nationalgeographic ^ | March 29, 2010 | James Owen

[JoeProBono]

Scientists have created hundreds of mutant fish with "six-pack abs" and bulging "shoulders" by beefing them up with new genes.

While the fish aren't going to win any beauty contests, the genetically engineered rainbow trout could hold some appeal at market, because they each provide 15 to 20 percent more flesh than standard tout, researchers say.

Developed with fish farming in mind, the genetically modified trout is the result of ten years of experimentation by a team led by Terry Bradley of the University of Rhode Island's Department of Fisheries, Animal, and Veterinary Sciences.

The team injected 20,000 rainbow trout eggs with different types of DNA from other species, making them transgenic. The added DNA was intended to suppress a protein called myostatin, and it apparently worked in about 300 of the eggs, turning them into the muscle-bound superfish.

The transgenic trout incorporate genes modeled on myostatin-inhibiting proteins found in powerfully built Belgian blue cattle, a beef breed noted for its "double muscled" appearance.

In mammals, including humans, mysostatin is known to keep muscle growth in check—controlling myostatin is touted as a potential way to reverse muscle-wasting diseases in humans.

[JoeProBono]

Do these genes make me look big? The modified rainbow trout boast more flesh per fish.

Mutant trout (left) vs. unmodified trout.

[highlander_UW]

But can it arm wrestle?

[EggsAckley]

Reminds me of an old joke about crossing a Coho salmon with a wall-eyed pike, followed by a muskie.

They got a Cowalskie.

(insert your own punchline here)

[Woebama]

I’ll take trout please. Not mutant trout.

[Vigilanteman]

My favorite dish is trout from the Rocky Mountains, when you can find it. The taste of them compared to normal fish is like comparing the taste of free range chicken to battery fed chicken with the Tyson or Purdue label.

[Constitution Day]

Scientists have created hundreds of mutant fish with "six-pack abs" and bulging "shoulders" by beefing them up with new genes.

This sounds like the beginning of a bad sci-fi movie.

I hope they don't plan to do any experiments on any insects of the Formicidae family!

[Tijeras_Slim]

[mountainlion]

Now we got freakinstine fish.

[Little Pig]

I bet all that muscle makes it a more entertaining catch, as well as a more substantial meal.

[JoeProBono]

[rahbert]

I’d sooner eat a mystery meat and urban cheese sandwich from subway’s..

[Lurker]

That album resides in my collection.

[JoeProBono]

Three taimen line up at the bottom of northern Mongolia's Eg River. The gigantic fish is the world's largest salmonidthe family of fish that includes salmon and trout. The species can live for more than 50 years, but they grow slowly, not reaching maturity until seven to nine years of age, experts say. Taimen migrate to their spawning habitat and can travel as much as 60 miles (97 kilometers) up- and downstream.

[cajuncow]

It looks like it could use a good worming.

[JoeProBono]

[throwback]

Grotesque. All this messing with genetics makes me nervous. Maybe everything that science can do isn’t necessarily a should do.

[JoeProBono]

[TheThirdRuffian]

It's not a big deal.

Belgian Blue Cattle lack this protein, as do other breeds.



They are, indeed, bigger, stronger, faster than other cattle (and make more meat).

It's not an advantage in the wild, however, as the big cattle have to eat a WHOLE bunch to stay around. Very susceptable to starvation. Myostatin exists to keep you alive in the winter.

Now, in times of plenty, it makes us flabby.

They can suppress this in humans with dramatic results. Be very interesting to see what happens when it becomes widespread.

[arrdon]

I HOPE THEY DON’T TRY THIS RESEARCH ON MOUNTAIN OYSTERS.....

[elcid1970]

“They got a Cowalskie”

The setup is to create a hybrid fish that’s a fighter, can live in polluted waters (the walleye perch; northern pike and muskellunge are nearly the same), and is good tasting.

The punchline is that the `Cowalskie’ hybrid had all three qualities, but unfortunately did not know how to swim.

(Badaboom badabing)

;^)