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South Korean Scientists Clone Glowing Cats.
Dec 15 2007, 9:03 pm
By: lil-Inferno  

Dec 15 2007, 9:03 pm lil-Inferno Post #1

Just here for the pie


This picture taken through a special filter in a dark room shows, a cat, right, possessing a red fluorescent protein that makes the animal glow in the dark when exposed to ultraviolet rays, appearing next to a normal cloned cat, left, at Gyeongsang National University in Jinju, south of Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2007. South Korean scientists have cloned cats that glow red when exposed to ultraviolet rays, an achievement that could help develop cures for human genetic diseases, the Science and Technology Ministry said.
Quote
SEOUL, South Korea —
South Korean scientists have cloned cats that glow red when exposed to ultraviolet rays, an achievement that could help develop cures for human genetic diseases, the Science and Technology Ministry said.

Three Turkish Angora cats were born in January and February through cloning with a gene that produces a red fluorescent protein that makes them glow in dark. One died at birth, but the two others survived, the ministry said.

The ministry claimed it was the first time cats with modified genes have been cloned.

Scientists from Gyeongsang National University and Sunchon National University took skin cells from a cat and inserted the fluorescent gene into them before transplanting the genetically modified cells into eggs.

The development means other genes can also be inserted in the course of cloning, paving the way for producing lab cats with genetic diseases, including those of humans, to help develop new treatments, the ministry said.

"Cats have similar genes to those of humans," said veterinary professor Kong Il-keun of Gyeongsang National University. "We can make genetically modified cats that can be used to develop new cures for genetic diseases."

Keitaro Kato, a geneticist at Kinki University in western Japan who has cloned fish, said the research could be significant if it eventually helps treat people with hereditary diseases.

"People with genetic disorders usually have to receive treatment throughout their lives that is very hard on them," Kato said. "If these results can help to make their lives easier, then I think it's a wonderful thing."

South Korea's scientific reputation suffered a heavy blow after much-hailed stem-cell breakthroughs by scientist Hwang Woo-suk were found to be faked in late 2005. He remains on trial on fraud and other charges.


What do you think of this, could it be a cure for anything, or just something of interest?




Dec 15 2007, 9:39 pm Echo Post #2



Wasn't this already done on another animal by cutting DNA from a jellyfish and inserting it into another animal's DNA and massively cloned?



None.

Dec 15 2007, 10:04 pm lil-Inferno Post #3

Just here for the pie

I'm not really sure, but this is supposedly something special because, believe it or not, cat genes are relatively similar to that of humans. The good thing behind this is that it might be able to cure genetic type diseases. I found it interesting that the cat's nose glows brighter than other parts such as its eyes.




Dec 15 2007, 11:00 pm FatalException Post #4



A lot of things have similiar genes with humans. Hell, we're halfway to being bananas. Is this only a breakthrough because they engineered the cats? I'm pretty sure making them glow wouldn't cure any diseases...



None.

Dec 15 2007, 11:06 pm lil-Inferno Post #5

Just here for the pie

It's glowing because of a red protein they put into it before they cloned it I think. They said, if you read the first post, that this means other things can be cloned, perhaps even humans because if a cat is so close to our genes, why can't we clone ourselves? Sheep have also been cloned before, but not with an ultraviolet light reaction in their skin, but I wouldn't know because I haven't studied it.




Dec 17 2007, 8:14 pm JordanN Post #6



Glowing Cats. We have a good future to look forward to.



None.

Dec 17 2007, 8:29 pm Vi3t-X Post #7



To whoever said things were glow cloned before, It was frogs, 10 of them...

Being able to cure things is possible, why? If there is a red protien that wraps the genetic strand causing the cat to glow, we could wrap Anti-Body like cells to the DNA strands to protect or prevent certain diseases.

Humans technically can be cloned. Actually, I heard that the US government has a secret laboratory on Plum Island is it? Which geneticaly grows "Enhanced test tube babies", not sperm donated babies but actual Super Soldiers, dunno why, just heard it. If we clone humans however, they would pretty much all have the same genetic structer and crime would just screw with us all, it also infringes many rights that people have.



None.

Dec 18 2007, 4:47 pm BeDazed Post #8



Dude. I want a glowing hamster. that would rock.



None.

Dec 19 2007, 10:45 pm Centreri Post #9

Relatively ancient and inactive

If they can make glowing cats.. they can make dragons!

Well, bioengineering is always interesting, because biology is the study of the most complex machinery currently known. First, find a cure to some disease by cloning cats... then cure a few more by creating viruses... after that, who knows? Another virus to make us all sterile and replace us with robots so that governments never face revolts?



None.

Dec 20 2007, 1:48 am The Starport Post #10



I still say sentient AI > cloned super humans.



None.

Dec 20 2007, 3:33 am MasterJohnny Post #11



This is bad...next thing you know parents will choose their babies' gender,hair color and eye color. DESIGNER BABIES WTF!!!
lets all hope this stays with "curing" genetic defects



I am a Mathematician

Dec 20 2007, 6:47 am Ryan Post #12



Ever since I've started playing Halo, (which is probably 4-5 years ago), I've been curious about being able to genetically enhance a human to make them super soldiers. I'd prefer that I weren't a test tube baby, but rather they inject some kind of chemical that enhances my hormones and what not. Maybe the US government scientists were playing Halo a little too much, yeah? =P



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