Posted on 12/12/2007 3:57:05 PM PST by hocndoc
By Cho Jin-seo Staff Reporter
Researchers found a way to clone pet cats five years ago. Now they can play a trick on their genes to change their color.
A Gyeongsang National University team said they have succeeded in cloning cats after modifying a gene to change their skin color. Because of the red fluorescence protein in their skin cells, the three Turkish Angola kittens look reddish under ultraviolet light, the researchers said.
The red cloned cat research is expected to be utilized in dealing with certain genetic diseases in animals and humans. It will also help reproduce rare animals, such as tigers and wildcats, which are on the verge of extinction, the team said.
According to the team led by professor Kong Il-keun, four kittens were born in January and February by caesarian section, but one died during the procedure. They weighed between 110 and 136 grams at birth and now weigh 3.5 kilograms each now, the researchers said.
``We have proved our world-class ability in cloning animals that have modified characteristics,'' said Kong. ``We found that the red fluorescent protein in all the organs of the dead kitten, which means we have established an efficient way of cloning gene-modified cats.''
The first cloned cat, nicknamed Copycat, was born in 2002 at Texas A&M University. Many other animals such as cows, dogs, pigs, bulls and goats have been successfully cloned by a number of researchers in North America, Europe and South Korea.
Kong cloned a cat in 2004 for the first time in the country. He has since worked as director of research at a state-supported project to clone animals for therapeutic research.
To clone the Turkish Angola cats, Kong's team used skin cells of the mother cat. They modified its genes to make them fluorescent by using a virus, which was transplanted into the ova. The ova were then implanted into the womb of the donor cat.
Called reproductive cloning, the method has been mostly used in cloning animals that are genetically identical, until Kong's kittens were born with the tampered genes.
The technique differs from therapeutic cloning, which is to make a ``stem cell'' that can be guided to grow into a specific body part. Former Seoul National University professor Hwang Woo-suk used this method in his human stem cell cloning research, which was later found to have used fabricated data.
Good job!
My very long and boring explanation about gene transfection and gene modification
http://www.lifeethics.org/www.lifeethics.org/2007/11/translation-of-yamanaka-yu-induced.html
Yep. It’s The Green Infection all right. The color of fluoresent pus. Wasn’t that color used in the movie invasion of the body snatchers?
Rococo and hypnotism anyone?
One for your ping list.
“FEED ME SEMOUR!”
Want immunity? Read tag below
And the number of you green cats is 999!
My Trixie is the sweetest little Scottish Fold in the world, now 17.5 years old and most of her teeth gone to old age. She is a very nice little kitty, too.
...”they live up to their name.”
My favorite cat name is “THELORDREBUKEYOU!JUDE9”
My other favorite cat name is ...GETBEHINDME,SATAN!...Matthew 16:23
My Maine Coon is called “Claymore.”
He’s huge, but very good natured.
I always make sure his proper end is pointed towards the enemy.
I’ll bet the light can locate other types of stains as well.
LMAO!!! Only I don’t glow in the dark.
My cat thinks his name is “dammit”.
I remember a while back seeing a date line that revealed some really disgusting stains left behind in hotel rooms. They used a special light to expose them.
I had some invisible ink/UV florescent pens some years back in high school. Multiple florescent blacklights (it was peaceful) and many talented friends. You want to see a neat freak have a conniption fit, subject them (permit them ) to a self requested blackout w/UV supplementation and a mirror.
"The technique differs from therapeutic cloning, which is to make a ``stem cell'' that can be guided to grow into a specific body part. Former Seoul National University professor Hwang Woo-suk used this method in his human stem cell cloning research, which was later found to have used fabricated data."
By the way that's worded you would think researchers are cloning just stem cells. The truth is, therapeutic cloning and reproductive cloning both clone a new organism which is killed for targeted stem cells if therapeutic cloning is the goal, or the clone ORGANISM is implanted in life sustaining tissue and grown to birth age if reprodcutive cloning is the goal. I'm waiting to read any day now that scientists have succeeded in implanting a cat or dog embryo(s) in a pig and brought the process through to live birth. Two guesses what will follow such a sucess. ... And one of the leading candidates for the Republican nomination approves of using 'leftover embryos' at IVF clinics for research programs. The term 'pro-life' is itself now on the slippery slope.
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