Guest post from Planet Green
With the announcement this week of an "Enviropig" whose poop may still smell, but wouldn't pollute as much, we're reminded of the compelling, controversial and perhaps comedic examples of the wonders of genetic engineering. This week's Planet 100 special counts down the top five "franken animals."
5. The "Enviropig"
Canada gave the go-ahead to develop the Enviropig, a beast designed to produce cleaner poop containing 65 percent less phosphorous.
The genetically-modified Enviropig would help prevent oceanic "dead zones," caused by excess phosphorous in animal waste. Although the Enviropig is years away from our tables, fear of this Franken food is already widespread.
Via: MNN
4. Dolly the Sheep
At number 4, dubbed "the world's most famous sheep," Dolly was the first mammal to be successfully cloned from an adult (sheep) cell -- a mammary cell to be precise.
Born in 1996 at Roslin Institute near Edinburgh Scotland and named after the buxom country singer, Dolly opened the floodgates for the cloning of other large mammals including horses, bulls and dogs.
Via: Science Daily
3. The "Pain-free" Mouse
What if you could engineer animals to feel no pain? The implications for scientific research and meat industries would be immense. Pain-free mice have been engineered by scientists at Washington University by preventing the gene for a peptide associated with the anterior cingulate gyrus, a part of the brain associated with processing stimuli. This opens the possibility of pain-free slaughterhouses in the future, which those involved say is better than doing nothing.
Via: TreeHugger
2. Giant Salmon
We've all heard of the giant squid but how about the giant salmon? Enter the AquAdvantage Salmon designed to grow twice as fast as regular salmon.
The brainchild of a Massachusetts company, its claimed advanced-hybrid salmon would be good news for inland fish farming and as the fish are sterile, there's no need to worry about them escaping to the wild.
Via: TreeHugger
1. Glowing Transgenic Monkey
Our number 1 spot goes to first genetically-modified primates who birthed a transgenic marmoset baby complete with glowing green genes.
Japanese scientists engineered the marmosets to express a green fluorescent protein in their skin, proving that transgenic modifications can be passed down through offspring. Transgenic animals are an invaluable resource for studying incurable human disorders and preserving endangered species.
Via: Wired
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