Glow in the Dark Pigs
 

Seems some illustrious researchers have discovered how to make pigs glow in the dark. Hmm... bacon makes me fart. The possibilities are mind boggling....


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4605202.stm

I usually throw the green bacon away....

Molecular biologists have been using genes like this as reporter genes for years. Mostly the firefly luciferase gene is used but in this case one from a jellyfish is.

The idea is you hook up the reporter gene to a gene that you actually care about expressing. One you have done the breeding (plant or animal) you look for the fluoresence; if it does, then you probably are expressing the other gene you care about as well. Much simpler way of determining if you have been successful than other methods. In this case only 3 out of 256 embryos took the new genes.

WHY???? So if the light in the fridge goes out you can still find the hot dogs?

Re: Glow in the Dark Pigs
 

Jeff, are you offering that the ingestion of this luminescent bovine flesh could translate into glowing flatulents?...I don't know if I like the implications, as my habit of covert bomb dropping will lose its sneaky appeal.

Re: Re: Glow in the Dark Pigs
 

Kind of like the dye in swimming pools, this will put a lot of us out of business.

Brilliant! Can you imagine the marketing possibilities?

That photo reminds me of that Paris Hilton video. . .




http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1137206940.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1137207097.jpg




See the resemblance? Or is it just me?

Maybe they can make her glow in the dark next so they don't have to resort to the night vision cams.

I have the honor (?) of creating the first metal "switch" on green fluoresence protein (GFP - the reporter protein on the pigs). I did it by mutating select residues on the surface of the protein. You could "turn off" the fluoresence in the presence of certain metals, with copper being the best.

Stupid protein tricks...what i used to do for a living. *sigh*

Was that before or after You invented the "Internet"?:p

after...that was in the late 90's. I invented the internet (with Al at my side) back in the late 70's. Back then we called it the CB radio and you didn't need wires...

At the very least a pig will squirm and grunt more during sex...

No more crop dusting after breakfast...

Ahhh, now I get it. !!!!