Eight years back ANDi, the first genetically modified monkey carried green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene which being transferred from its parents. However, this is a faulty gene since ANDi cannot glow green as expected.
Now, scientist is inserting this green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene into marmoset which is another monkey species. This is a very important research since if this genetic modification is a success, scientist will use GM monkey to study human disease since GM primates provide better model than GM mice.
For this research, viral vectors method was used to introduce green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene from jelly fish into the host cell (marmoset).The modified virus that carried the gene of interest is injected into the monkey embryos. Then, these embryos being inserted into seven surrogate mothers which four gave birth, producing 1 male and 4 female marmosets that carried the green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene.
Later, when the male baby was sexually mature, he successfully fathered a single offspring which also glowed green, showing that it had inherited the GFP gene. One of the females also produced IVF embryos carrying the gene thus shows that this research is success.
References:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17194
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn319-monkey-business.html
By:
Siti Nur Hasanah Binti Mohd Yusuf
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