Scientists announce the first genetically modified monkey
A baby monkey carrying an extra bit of DNA has become the first genetically modified non-human primate. Scientists hope the three month old monkey will help the development of new treatments for a host of diseases, including diabetes, breast cancer, Parkinsons and HIV. The rhesus monkey - called 'ANDi', which stands for inserted DNA backwards - was born on 2 October after receiving an extra gene while he was still an unfertilised egg. The gene shows up as a green fluorescent protein and acts as a marker, which can be easily identified in ANDi's DNA. To all other intents and purposes though, ANDi is normal, say researchers: 'ANDi is robust and plays normally with his two class mates,' said Gerald Schatten of the Oregon Regional Primate Research Centre at the Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland, Oregon, whose research is published in the 12 January edition of the journal 'Science'. Schatten is confident the latest results are just the first step on the road to better treatments for disease in humans: 'We could just as easily introduce, for example, an Alzheimer's gene, to accelerate the development of a vaccine for that disease. In this way we hope to bridge the scientific gap between transgenic mice and humans. We could also get better answers from fewer animals, while accelerating the discovery of cures through molecular medicine,' said Schatten. Together with scientist Anthony W.S. Chan, Schatten led the team of researchers working to produce ANDi. But the work was less than easy. They modified 224 eggs which were then fertilised producing 40 embryos and five pregnancies, resulting in three live births. ANDi, is the only one of the healthy infants showing successful integration of the gene and a DNA analysis has confirmed that ANDi carries the 'GFP' (gene fluorescent protein) gene, originally isolated from glowing jellyfish. But, the Oregon team stress he does not glow fluorescent green because the GFP gene may not actually be expressing the protein. However this could develop as ANDi matures. The thought of a potential to engineer 'glowing monkeys' may conjure an eerie image to some, but Schatten, who last year reported the first successful cloning of a monkey by embryo splitting, believes such research vital for combating disease. 'Monkeys like ANDi and Tetra, a cloned monkey, will quickly but safely help us determine if innovative therapies are safe and effective,' he said. 'It may soon be possible to introduce markers monitored by non-invasive techniques such as MRI magnetic resonance imaging) or PET (positron emission tomography), to discover the developmental events that lead to diseases like diabetes, heart disease and even mental illnesses,' he said
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