Lab creates 'long-distance mouse'

[Praxius]

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Lab creates 'long-distance mouse'

A genetically modified "supermouse" which can run twice as far as a normal rodent has been created by scientists working in the US. It also lives longer, and breeds later in life compared with its standard laboratory cousin. The research has been conducted at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Details of the scientists' new transgenic animals are published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. The mice were produced to study the biochemistry at play in metabolism and could aid the understanding of human health and disease. The GM rodents can run five to six kilometres at a speed of 20 meters per minute on a treadmill, for up to six hours before stopping. "They are metabolically similar to Lance Armstrong biking up the Pyrenees; they utilise mainly fatty acids for energy and produce very little lactic acid," said Professor Richard Hanson, the senior author on the journal article. He told BBC News: "The muscles of these mice have many more mitochondria. These are the little 'engines' in the cell that produce energy. For some reason, the number of mitochondria are around 10 times more than we see in the muscle of their littermates." The mice over-express a gene responsible for the enzyme phosphoenolypyruvate carboxykinases (PEPCK-C). Normal expression is in the liver, in the production of glucose. The scientists found their new mice would eat twice as much as normal mice - but weigh half as much. They could also give birth at three years old - which in human terms is akin to an 80-year-old woman giving birth. Other research groups have produced similar novel rodents by altering different aspects of their genetics. One criticism of the work is that it could open the door to abuse, with the spectre of athletes resorting to gene therapy to try to improve their performance. But Professor Hanson played this down. "Right now, this is impossible to do - putting a gene into muscle. It's unethical. And I don't think you'd want to do this. These animals are rather aggressive, we've noticed." Scientists say such work is more likely to help them understand human conditions, such as those which lead to wasting of the muscles.

More likely they say.... I do see this potientially being abused... either by making model babies for those who can afford it, or genetic manipulation of military infantry or special forces.

I'm not saying for sure they will.... but that is more likely to occure in the long run. They express that their intentions are good.... but so were the intentioned behind E=MC²

[triad]

Sounds about right... soon we will have an actual superman? PICK ME!

[Praxius]

Naw.... make me into something like this:



I wouldn't want to wear red and blue speedos with a cape and a little swirl in my hair.

[Thanatos]

This sounds like something out of a scifi movie, but it was inevitable that something like this would come along. Interesting that it also boosts aggression; DARPA is going to love this.

What worries me is the food consumption. With gene therapy you can add genes to muscles or any other body part, so mass marketing isn't that scifi. Everybody who can afford it will buy this; who doesn't want to live longer? Food consumption will quadruple within a decade in the United States...I sincerely hope they find some other practical method of life extension, because this one will have some unfortunate consequences.

[Milton Bradley]

See, this is another reason the Founding Fathers wanted us to be armed. To oppose these self appointed Superheros.

[Praxius]

Quote by: Milton Bradley See, this is another reason the Founding Fathers wanted us to be armed. To oppose these self appointed Superheros.

That won't do much since they will most likly have weapons too... chances are they'd be better and faster with them too

[Milton Bradley]

Quote by: Praxius That won't do much since they will most likly have weapons too... chances are they'd be better and faster with them too

Yeah, but I doubt they will be hip the camo, or the tactics, so their still toast.