Green Glowing GM Monkeys Reproduce

Ronald Bailey | May 27, 2009

Japanese researchers report that a monkey genetically modifed to glow green under ultraviolet light has become a daddy. As Reuters reports: 

Japanese researchers have genetically engineered monkeys whose hair roots, skin and blood glow green under a special light, and who have passed on their traits to their offspring, the first time this has been achieved in a primate.

They spliced a jellyfish gene into common marmosets, and said on Wednesday they hope to use their colony of glowing animals to study human Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS.

Monkeys modified to carry human disease genes have not yet reproduced successfully, but this is a good sign that it should be possible. 

Whole Reuters report here.