Fluorescent puppy is world's first transgenic dog

[n2doc]

12:00 23 April 2009 by Ewen Callaway


A cloned beagle named Ruppy – short for Ruby Puppy – is the world's first transgenic dog. She and four other beagles all produce a fluorescent protein that glows red under ultraviolet light.

A team led by Byeong-Chun Lee of Seoul National University in South Korea created the dogs by cloning fibroblast cells that express a red fluorescent gene produced by sea anemones.

Lee and stem cell researcher Woo Suk Hwang were part of a team that created the first cloned dog, Snuppy, in 2005. Much of Hwang's work on human cells turned out to be fraudulent, but Snuppy was not, an investigation later concluded.

This new proof-of-principle experiment should open the door for transgenic dog models of human disease, says team member CheMyong Ko of the University of Kentucky in Lexington. "The next step for us is to generate a true disease model," he says.

However, other researchers who study domestic dogs as stand-ins for human disease are less certain that transgenic dogs will become widespread in research.


more:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17003-fluorescent-puppy-is-worlds-first-transgenic-dog.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news




Ruppy the transgenic puppy at 10 days old. Even under natural light the red protein can be seen in the skin and fur. The next image shows Ruppy under ultraviolet light (Photo: Byeong Chun Lee)

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

1. This is just all kinds of fucked up

[aquart]

4. Well, so far I don't see a purpose to it.

They've done it to prove they can. Now what?

[TZ]

6. this kind of research with the phosphorescence genes is VERY handy in cancer research

However the rodent models are better....Even better yet is ZEBRAFISH..they are actually turning into excellent models.
I don't know why anyone would think dogs are better for this. I'm afraid if they think this is going to catch on in the US where a lot of this type of research goes on they are waay mistaken. I have very little respect for these particular researchers. They have already proven themselves unethical and fraudulent.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

10. I think testing on animals is unethical in any form, personally

[Hanse]

13. OK, fine.

Be sure to boycott any medicine that was brought to the market through the use of animal testing.

Just like the people who wanted to ban stem cell research shouldn't have any benefit from that.

[onehandle]

2. Glow in the dark cats would be helpful for me around their 5 am wake up call.

They would be easier to find and throw out of our bedroom.

[aquart]

3. But are they hypoallergenic?

[glinda]

5. Sick

[Hanse]

7. That's neat.

To hell with the luddite naysayers.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

11. It's not about being a luddite

It's about being against animal cruelty.

[Hanse]

12. No, I don't think so.

I think it's just the same old fear of the new as always.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

15. I believe that testing on animals is barbaric

How is that fear of the new?

[comtec]

16. The dogs arent being hurt by this

it's weird, but for them, it'll always be normal.
I understand your point, but this is not causing pain.
At least as far as we know.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

17. Being raised in a lab is a cruel life for a dog

[eppur_se_muova]

18. Will they have normal vision in sunlight?

If the materials from which their eyes are made are fluorescing, I would think there would be some degradation of vision.

BTW, this was done with pigs several years ago, and pigs are usually better models for studying human diseases. Don't see the point of a we-can-do-it-too experiment with dogs.



http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4605202.stm

[damntexdem]

8. But they'd be great in discos.

Bring back the black light and let the dogs out!

[phantom power]

9. Red puppies.... Red puppies...

Red puppies aren't much fun.

[BadgerKid]

14. Or if you prefer fluorescent mice...

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=fluorescent+mice&btnG=Google+Search

[Odin2005]

19. That's awesome!

And the luddites and PETA nuts can STFU about it.

Oh well, I'm a biotech major, which makes me pure evil in the eyes of both groups anyway...

[sofa king]

20. Hello? Where is my houndstooth-patterned beagle?

It's the future, for crying out loud! I've been waiting my whole life for flying cars, 2-way wristwatches, fusion, and houndstooth beagles. I am willing to sacrifice all of my morals and honor to see cheap and plentiful supplies of any one of those things.

Hey, everyone has their price.

[and-justice-for-all]

21. The pups are adorable...

But I do not agree with animal testing at all.