Scientists Develop Glowing Piglets Using Jellyfish DNA

Scientists from South China Agricultural University successfully developed 10 piglets that glow green under black light. The piglets were developed using a technique pioneered by University of Hawaii. The green color simply indicates that the fluorescent genetic material from jellyfish injected into the pig embryos has been incorporated into the animal's natural make-up. "It's just a marker to show that we can take a gene that was not originally present in the animal and now exists in it," explains Dr. Stefan Moisyadi. This success contributes in the development of the technique, which will help create medicines and therapies for patients in a more cost-effective manner. The GE animals will be used later to produce beneficial enzymes to treat maladies such as hemophilia. Fortunately, the GE piglets used in the study can still expect to full life spans.

Read more at http://www.manoa.hawaii.edu/news/article.php?aId=6197.