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)
Better make it two: A hero needs a sidekick.
In my favorite western, Tombstone; paraphrasing Johnny Ringo, that's what he said to Doc Holiday in their final showdown. And, if you've seen the movie you know how that turned out, lol :)
Oh great. Leave it to Darks to do some inter-species experimenting on the pups. But I guess you can’t walk your faithful cat, huh.
Just keep them away from The Coffee.
Great, now I see the old cartoon Top Cat.
I saw what you did there. LOL!
I’m thinking of deer that glow when resistant to wasting disease.
You can give ‘em coffee and watch them glow with a steaming cup of RAGE.
Is that a bottomless cup of RAGE, or do they have to pay for refills?
“If the genetically modified mouser glowed an eerie green, the researchers knew it was also resistant to FIV. “
One could assume that a green glow would hamper the ability of a cat to catch a mouse.
Could one also assume that there working on a cure for AIDS with one small draw back.
Also could one assume that this might not be a draw back for certain groups.
Ma’am? ~.~
Good idea! Two each it is.
Not sure, but I think the deer have a bottomless RAGE when hit with coffee.
I love that movie. Val Kilmer, method actor, starved to perfection for a tubercular doctor. Sigh...
“Poor soul. He were just too high strung.”
Who? I haven't watched TV since 1973.
I don't care who you are, son. That's funny.
I have already freaked out the neighborhood by having a cat that plays fetch (George) and another that likes a morning swim in the front water folly (Scooter) I figure a glow in the dark kitty would be just the ticket.
Environmentalists love everything GREEN!........
Our second cat would fetch until he was totally exhausted.
It was all my fault. When he was a tiny kitten, he used to climb up, paw over paw, onto the bed to wake us up in the morning. He’d drop a cat toy on one of our faces and mewl pitifully. I took the toy one morning and threw it across the room. He dived off the bed and brought it back and dropped it on my face again, and he was trained to fetch (and I was trained to throw for him) just that fast.
We loved that cat beyond all reason. Mad man Muffin. He was a precious one, sharp as a tack.
George likes the sparkle balls for playing fetch. He looses them under the love seat regularly, when he has lost them all he will pat me and then walk to the love seat. He will keep doing that until I get up and move the love seat, he then will carry them out one by one and drop them at my feet then meow until I throw one for him.
LOL! They’re a lot smarter than they sometimes pretend to be. They have us trained very well. And we have them thoroughly spoiled, too, the little lovable little dickenses.
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