Scientists: We've Cloned Glowing Dogs

South Korean Experts Say Techniques Could Develop Cures For Human Diseases

(AP)  South Korean scientists say they have engineered four beagles that glow red using cloning techniques that could help develop cures for human diseases.

The four dogs, all named "Ruppy" - a combination of the words "ruby" and "puppy" - look like typical beagles by daylight. But they glow red under ultraviolet light, and the dogs' nails and abdomens, which have thin skins, look red even to the naked eye.

Seoul National University professor Lee Byeong-chun, head of the research team, called them the world's first transgenic dogs carrying fluorescent genes, an achievement that goes beyond just the glowing novelty.

"What's significant in this work is not the dogs expressing red colors but that we planted genes into them," Lee told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

His team identified the dogs as clones of a cell donor through DNA tests and earlier this month introduced the achievement in a paper on the Web site of the journal "Genesis."

Scientists in the U.S., Japan and in Europe previously have cloned fluorescent mice and pigs, but this would be the first time dogs with modified genes have been cloned successfully, Lee said.

He said his team took skin cells from a beagle, inserted fluorescent genes into them and put them into eggs before implanted them into the womb of a surrogate mother, a local mixed breed.

Six female beagles were born in December 2007 through a cloning with a gene that produces a red fluorescent protein that make them glow, he said. Two died, but the four others survived.

The glowing dogs show that it is possible to successfully insert genes with a specific trait, which could lead to implanting other, non-fluorescent genes that could help treat specific diseases, Lee said.

The scientist said his team has started to implant human disease-related genes in the course of dog cloning, saying that will help them find new treatments for genetic diseases such as Parkinson's. He refused to provide further details, saying the research was still under way.

A South Korean scientist who created glowing cats in 2007 based on a similar cloning technique said that Lee's puppies are genuine clones, saying he had seen them and had read about them in the journal.

"We can appraise this is a step forward" toward finding cures for human diseases, said veterinary professor Kong Il-keun at South Korea's Gyeongsang National University. "What is important now is on what specific diseases (Lee's team) will focus on."

Lee was a key aide to disgraced scientist Hwang Woo-suk, whose breakthroughs on stem cell research were found to have been made using faked data. Independent tests, however, later proved the team's dog cloning was genuine.

[bigsk8fan]

whitemale08, please leave this science stuff to thinking people.

[Oregon_State_OSU]

Now all we have to do it put some flashing lights on them & we can have a Nativity Scene running around with 4 legs.

[briannorwood]

A watch dog that also serves as a night light! Brilliant!

[rf35]

Can this effect be achieved on mature animals? I have a black cat that likes to play "speed bump" on the stairs at night.

[mrs_entity]

Well Koreans have not large amounts of land and must clone food sources I figure.

[pensacola8-2009]

Glowing animals already appear in nature. Fish have been found to be UV light reactant for years. The urine of rodents already is UV light reactant and their flying predators - the eagles and hawks can see their UV urine stains on the ground from a mile up in the air.

Certain Bacteria is also visible under a UV light or Black Light. Those who suspect a ringworm infection can easily see the affected area glow under a black light.

[hetup-2009]

How sad

[Derek86D]

WhiteMale08, That would mean the The Island of Dr. Moreau would be fiction becoming reality! Mythical creatures: Half Man / Half Beast! Eerie! The truth is often stranger than fiction!

[whitemale08]

Get ready for the human-animal hybrid, I've posted about over and over again to do obeisance to the oligarchs in Europe that we stupidly are bailing-out right now.

[wardoglrs]

This is sick and you all should be worried deeply about your future

[Void_Master]

Glowing dogs? Is this a low-budget horror film or what?

[Derek86D]

Glowing Dogs! Wow! Yes, It is a bit scary when mankind starts to play Mother Nature! Wonder if the dogs are setting off any geiger counters?

On the plus side: If the scientists get the dogs to glow under ordinary conditions, I suppose this would come in handy for people whom like to walk their dogs @ night. No additional monies would need to be spent on reflectors. Might also help prevent people from tripping over their dogs in the dark & reduce accidents.

[Ordflyer]

Can we clone a red glowing Cheney with horns????

[stn_sage]

FREAKY! But, in the future I hope those nations, organizations, and scientists who clone---will be just a "tad more" practical in the effect they're trying to achieve!

I believe there are several countries whose governments have been cloning for some time---though, they will deny it! It really shouldn't surprise us, since the capability exists!

Cloning to remove unwanted, hideous, debilitating disease---or, produce a "copy" of a
beloved pet is one thing---and could arguably be considered a good thing!

But, cloning to produce "bizarre", ferocious animals or beasts should be forbidden! Especially, since mankind's technical ability seems to far outpace his ethical and moral maturity!