Posted on 09/13/2011 11:13:45 AM PDT by Red Badger
Black cats may be unlucky, but what about a glowing cat?
Phosphorescent felines were created by Mayo Clinic researchers to help in the fight against AIDS in both cats and humans. The cats were genetically engineered to carry a protein that defends them from infection by the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), the cat version of HIV.
The cats glow because of a jellyfish gene inserted along with the FIV-resistance gene. If the genetically modified mouser glowed an eerie green, the researchers knew it was also resistant to FIV.
"One of the best things about this biomedical research is that it is aimed at benefiting both human and feline health," says Eric Poeschla, molecular biologist at the Mayo Clinic and lead author of the study published in Nature Methods.
"It can help cats as much as people," said Poeschla in a press release.
The gene that protected the transgenic tabbies from FIV was originally from a type of monkey, the rhesus macaque. Since cross-breeding a cat and a monkey was impossible (not to mention even weirder and creepier than a glowing cat) the scientists had to use genetic engineering to put the rhesus' genetic pieces into the cats.
They used a technique known as gamete-targeted lentiviral transgenesis. The tongue-twister technique involved inserting the desired gene into the cat's eggs before sperm fertilization.
The resulting kittens produced the macaque's protein, a restriction factor known as TRIMCyp, as well as the jellyfish's glow in the dark chemical, known as green fluorescent protein.
Glowing cat face Not only did the first generation of kittens come out luminescent and FIV-resistant, the new genes were passed on to their offspring. The phosphorescent fur-balls were healthy and thriving, report the Mayo Clinic scientists.
Though this technique is not a direct treatment for FIV, HIV, or AIDS, it will help researchers understand how the proteins known as restriction factors can be used in gene therapy. Since FIV is similar to HIV, the luminescent cats could shed light on treatments for both diseases.
As cool as having a glowing cat would be, don't expect to see phosphorescent felines at the pet store. Genetically engineering pets is highly controversial, and the Mayo researchers made these cats solely to help the fight against AIDS, not to be awesome additions to a Halloween party.
IMAGES:
One of the glowing cats from the Mayo Clinic study (Mayo Clinic)
The paw of a glowing cat (Mayo Clinic)
“the Mayo researchers made these cats solely to help the fight against AIDS, not to be awesome additions to a Halloween party”
I hate it when doctors try to tell us how to live our lives.
Next thing you know, we’ll have a phosphorescence tax.
Exactly. This is a great advance in pet technology!
On the other paw, I wonder if it reduces their effectiveness as mousers.
I MUST have one!
Where can I obtain one of these phosphorescent cats?
The Mayo Clinic...........
but... ...it’s a GLOW IN THE DARK cat!
What’s not to like?
;-)
Good one!
Now if we could just get all of the HIV carriers to glow an eerie green, I’m sure that HIV spread will be greatly contained.
I doubt they are very good mousers, they're not all that bright...
Does this mean that people who end up being cured of AIDS will glow in the dark?
The purple spots (kaposi’s sarcoma) didn’t...
If I understand this right, if you glow green, like the cats do, you are immune..................
That’s what it implies.........
Cats do not pass on HIV to humans.
I have an HIV positive kitty cat, and she is wonderful.
She has had it for about 10 years. The vet is on top of it. Anytime she starts to feel bad, my vet comes to my house to keep her from going into AIDS.
Sigh. I was simply joking about my husband being afraid of my - admittedly - somewhat unloveable feral cat that I’ve owned and cared for for about 12 years now. Poor thing.
I never said anything about HIV being passed from cats to humans.
Yeah, I was suggesting that all they need to do is turn it around and make the carriers glow green. Or I suppose you could just brand their foreheads with HIV.
Yeah, I was suggesting that all they need to do is turn it around and make the carriers glow green as a warning to others. Or I suppose you could just brand their foreheads with the letters HIV.
Thank you MM.
Absolutely not....I was just passing on some information in general because maybe some folks think cats can pass on HIV to humans.
That was only my intention.
Please forgive any misunderstanding. In no way was it meant toward you or anybody else.
Worth it to fight FIV, though.
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