How are GloFish produced?
The GloFish were originally bred to help detect environmental pollutants. Scientists hope to one day quickly and easily determine when a waterway is contaminated by adding a natural fluorescence gene to the fish. The first step in developing the GloFish was to create a fish that would be fluorescent all the time. Scientists soon realized the public's interest in sharing the benefits of this research, which lead to a process of the GloFish.The process of developing the GloFish begins by adding a fluorescence gene to the fish before it hatches from its egg. Once the gene integrates into the genome of the embryo, the developing fish will be able to pass the fluorescence gene along to its offspring upon maturity. Because of this, the gene only needs to be added to one embryo; from that point forward, all subsequent fluorescent fish are the result of traditional breeding.
What Makes Them Glow?
The glow in the fish is produced by a fluorescent protein gene, which is originally from jellyfish. It's added to the fish eggs before they hatch, and naturally produces bright green bioluminescence. Scientists then breed them by adding a natural fluorescence gene to the fish which creates the beautiful fluorescence that can be seen when looking at the fish. The fluorescent protein genes occur naturally, and are derived from marine organisms.
Controversies surrounding The development of the GloFish
Scientists believe it is of great importance that all the GloFish they offer for sale to be safe for the environment. To ensure that they are successful. Testing will be performed before any fish is made available to the public, with specific emphasis placed on analyzing growth rates, temperature sensitivities, and mating success. Any line of GloFish demonstrating increased strengths or successes in these areas relative to non-fluorescent fish of the same species, or otherwise displaying any characteristic that poses an environment concern, will not be offered for sale.
Creating "new" pet organisms
My position on creating new pet organisms is to do a great deal of research.
I would love to own an genetically modified pet such as the GloFish because they are diffrent, and very rare!!!
Advantages to creating Pet organisms
(1) It makes it possible to create identical copies of the very best individuals in a population, such as the highest milk producing cow, or the largest hog.
(2) It makes it possible to produce a genetically identical copy of an individual for tissue or organ transplantation.
(3) Extinct or endangered species can be repopulated through cloning.
(2) It makes it possible to produce a genetically identical copy of an individual for tissue or organ transplantation.
(3) Extinct or endangered species can be repopulated through cloning.