Researchers create engineered "marathon mice"

[phantom power]

Aug. 23, 2004 | SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Researchers on Monday unveiled genetically engineered mice that can run farther and longer than their naturally bred brethren, bringing the "genetic doping" of elite athletes a small step closer.

The creation of the so-called marathon mice, announced Monday, follows earlier genetic engineering work that created "Schwarzenegger mice," rodents that bulked up after getting injected with muscle-building genes.

The engineered mice racing away on their treadmills are bound to add to the furor over performance-enhancing substances, just as the world's best marathoners prepare for the Olympic event Sunday.

The gene engineered in these mice essentially mimics exercise: Researchers say it conferred endurance and prevented the modified mice from becoming obese -- even when they were kept inactive and fed a high-fat diet.
http://www.salon.com/tech/wire/2004/08/23/marathon_mice/index.html