• Scientists fuck with a mosquito's DNA, manage to change its eye color
    64 replies, posted
[QUOTE][B]Virginia Tech researchers used a gene disruption technique to change the eye color of a mosquito[/B], a critical step toward new strategies for disrupting the transmission of diseases such as dengue fever. The eye colors of these mosquitoes are varied because of cell-to-cell variability in the degree of gene editing.[/QUOTE] [QUOTE]Genetically engineered TALEN proteins were injected into the germ cells of mosquito embryos early in their development, with the intention of disrupting the coding for eye pigmentation that would be passed down to the next generation. When the targeted mosquitoes gave birth to baby bugs, a large percentage of them had light-colored eyes instead of the typical black eyes. [B]The lack of pigment served as confirmation that the genetic code was wiped out.[/B][/QUOTE] Dear god. [URL]http://cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/03/21/17404674-disease-fighters-disrupt-mosquitos-genes-with-molecular-scissors?lite[/URL]
Can we get pets in customised colours now?
tell me when we can copy and paste DNA I want some wings.
[QUOTE=Intoxicated Spy;39996722]tell me when we can copy and paste DNA I want some wings.[/QUOTE] That can be done already do that to an extent. Pigs have been made to express jellyfish genes and have bioluminescence.
they should make "super mosquitoes" with a ticking time bomb embedded in their genes. make these mosquitoes able to out-compete every other mosquito, reproduce like a motherfucker, but after like 20 generations they will all lose their ability to reproduce. after a couple waves of these we might finally be rid of this winged menace once and for all.
[QUOTE=yawmwen;39996880]they should make "super mosquitoes" with a ticking time bomb embedded in their genes. make these mosquitoes able to out-compete every other mosquito, reproduce like a motherfucker, but after like 20 generations they will all lose their ability to reproduce. after a couple waves of these we might finally be rid of this winged menace once and for all.[/QUOTE] It would be way cooler if they actually just exploded.
[QUOTE=yawmwen;39996880]they should make "super mosquitoes" with a ticking time bomb embedded in their genes. make these mosquitoes able to out-compete every other mosquito, reproduce like a motherfucker, but after like 20 generations they will all lose their ability to reproduce. after a couple waves of these we might finally be rid of this winged menace once and for all.[/QUOTE] That it would be a good way to fuck around with complex ecosystems.
[QUOTE=Slacker101;39996919]It would be way cooler if they actually just exploded.[/QUOTE] we could also strap literal ticking time bombs to some of the mosquitoes if that makes you happy. [QUOTE=Falubii;39996923]That it would be a good way to fuck around with complex ecosystems.[/QUOTE] no one gives a shit about complex ecosystems when we have inchy bumps all over us every summer fuck ecosystems, if they think torturing us is the way for us to accept them, then they got another thing comin'.
[QUOTE=yawmwen;39996937]we could also strap literal ticking time bombs to some of the mosquitoes if that makes you happy.[/QUOTE] The US [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bat_bomb]already did that[/url] with bats.
[QUOTE=Zephyrs;39996970]The US [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bat_bomb]already did that[/url] with bats.[/QUOTE] god bless america
It's not fucking around if you record the results. Then it becomes science!
Maybe mosquitos are too important to get rid of, but tell me this, what do wasps do?? They exist to be nature's assholes, we should kill em off.
Lets uh.... Now try it on people maybe?
[QUOTE=luverofJ!93;39997019]Maybe mosquitos are too important to get rid of, but tell me this, what do wasps do?? They exist to be nature's assholes, we should kill em off.[/QUOTE] Pretty much everything has an impact on the ecosystem. If there's one species that could probably go away it's us (not that I want that).
[QUOTE=Falubii;39997071]Pretty much everything has an impact on the ecosystem. If there's one species that could probably go away it's us (not that I want that).[/QUOTE] if we died then where would the mice, dogs, cats, racoons, and cockroaches all go?? they need us for their survival!
fuck the ecosystem, humanity is top of the food chain, time for mother nature to know who the fuck runs this show
Just imagine when this sort of genetic augmentation is safe and marketable for humans. Bioluminescent rave hair, transparent skin, catlike night vision... The aesthetics will be ridiculous, we'll be living in Second Life.
[QUOTE=Falubii;39996923]That it would be a good way to fuck around with complex ecosystems.[/QUOTE] What ecological function do mosquitoes fulfill that isn't already fulfilled better by other species?
[QUOTE=sHiBaN;39997041]Lets uh.... Now try it on people maybe?[/QUOTE] For all I know it would probably give you Heterochromia (a minor disorder that makes your eyes have different colors, for those who dont know what it is).
[QUOTE=download;39996714]Can we get pets in customised colours now?[/QUOTE] My immediate thought is those sparkledogs from DeviantArt. Dear goodness.
[QUOTE=calebc789;39997156]For all I know it would probably give you Heterochromia (a minor disorder that makes your eyes have different colors, for those who dont know what it is).[/QUOTE] And that is why I'm placing my bets on that system that does it the simple brute and logical way of simply burning eye pigments out at a specific amount with lasers so that your eyes will turn blue. Of course, last I heard the system was being tested on Mexicans and we've not heard about it in over a year.
[QUOTE=Ardosos;39997141]What ecological function do mosquitoes fulfill that isn't already fulfilled better by other species?[/QUOTE] They provide protein to aquatic ecosystems that is only available because of the mammal blood that they drink. Other insects are nowhere near as nutritious, so freshwater fish populations would collapse without them, leading to a boom in the population of everything else those fish eat. I hope you like frog plagues, because nothing will stop those tadpoles now!
[QUOTE=Falubii;39997071]Pretty much everything has an impact on the ecosystem. If there's one species that could probably go away it's us (not that I want that).[/QUOTE] The ecosystem is dynamic and has changed constantly throughout Earth's history. Sure in the short-term we might see some unproportional population increase/decrease with a few species if we wipe out a major one like mosquitoes, but life adapts and balance will eventually be restored. Not saying we should wipe out mosquitoes, it'd be too much trouble to be worth it. But I do like the idea of getting rid of wasps. Fucking wasps.
I swear there was a study a while back that said that eradicating mosquitos would have negligible effects on most ecosystems.
I thought they could already manipulate the genes of Mosquito's to add wings, etc. Maybe we'll be able to customize our newborn children/pets like videogame characters, choosing eye color and statistics lol.
[QUOTE=Rangergxi;39997296]I thought they could already manipulate the genes of Mosquito's to add wings, etc. Maybe we'll be able to customize our newborn children/pets like videogame characters, choosing eye color and statistics lol.[/QUOTE] We'll be able to do that relatively soon, but we won't be [I]allowed [/I]to do it for a long while. Most people still think genetic manipulation, especially when it comes to humans, is wrong/freaky/whatnot, and it's currently outlawed and shunned upon pretty much everywhere to meddle with human DNA (with a few exceptions for genetic illnesses). Morals need to be changed and this can take a very long while. But afterwards I expect we will change immensely as a species, to the point where we can't even call ourselves one species anymore. An era where individuals can change the genetic code, the very core of life that makes us what we are, of their offspring or possibly even themselves into whatever they please. Would be truly interesting to see how this would affect us and life as we know it, shame I'll most likely be long dead by that point.
i actually disagree with genetic modification for the purpose of giving traits on moral grounds unless it's done for everyone free of charge. i don't want to see an overclass of rich, genetically perfect humans, or the government modifying their own soldiers and police force for maximum control. either everyone gets access, or no one should.
[QUOTE=yawmwen;39997489] unless it's done for everyone free of charge. [/QUOTE] But I can't see that happening. As long as there is money to be made, especially on something so lucrative, we will not have free access. I want to further humanity, and this is one of many ways how it could be done, but the biggest problem is the rate at which the technology and capabilities will trickle down to lower income classes. However, in the (probable) worst case, they won't at all, the the overclass will simple lord over people.
so therefore i disagree with the using genetic modification for anything more than treating genetic illnesses.
[QUOTE=yawmwen;39997649]so therefore i disagree with the using genetic modification for anything more than treating genetic illnesses.[/QUOTE] If, by the time we have the technology and knowledge to genetically manipulate humans safely, there will be an elite with intents of making themselves superior to everyone else I do not think the illegality of such practices will stop them.
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