Glowing cats shed light on Aids


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Cats that have been genetically modified to glow in the dark are being used to gain insights into Aids.

The scientists inserted one gene into the cats that helps them resist the feline form of Aids.

They also inserted a gene that produces a fluorescent protein called GFP, Nature Methods journal reports.

This protein - which is produced naturally in jellyfish - is commonly used in this area of research to monitor the activity of altered genes.

"We did it to mark cells easily just by looking under the microscope or shining a light on the animal," said Dr Eric Poeschla, from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, US.

The antiviral gene comes from a rhesus macaque, and produces a protein called a restriction factor that can resist Aids-causing viruses affecting other animals.

The team from the US and Japan then transferred this gene, along with the one for GFP, into feline eggs - known as oocytes.

The method worked so well that nearly all offspring from the modified eggs had the restriction factor genes. And these proteins were made throughout the cats' bodies.

The researchers found that there was reduced replication of the feline Aids virus - known as feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) - in these cats.

Just as the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, does in people, FIV works by wiping out infection-fighting T-cells.

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I totally want a glow in the dark cat.

No kidding....no more glowing floating eyes, you would actually be able to see your cat in the dark instead of only the other way around.

Wait... we've successfully combined Cat and Jellyfish genes to create

glowing cats? Cooooooool.

They have done it with rats and other animals for years now, first case I've seen of them doing it with cats but at the rate they are going I would say a few more years and you could do something similar with humans.

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I WANT THAT CAT :woot:

Don't you hate it when your cat doesn't come in at night and you can't find it, so it ends up staying out probably killing the wildlife and possibly against council cat curfews.

There is a market for glow in the dark cats.

I only hope that cat gets lots of pats and things to play with in the laboratory. :cat: :wub: Sucks to have medical experiments done to it, but it is for the greater good. Just don't tell PETA.

edit: .... KITTEN :wub: :wub: :wub: :wub:

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The other cat must be the mother. It looks like the white fur glows. I wonder if a glow in the dark human is possible? might need white hair like Julian Assange though. Glow in the dark hair colouring would probably be better for humans on second thought... unless it does glow in the dark body too... Alien baby! :alien:

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