Pigs that glow (in the dark)

Scientists from the South China Agricultural University in collaboration with experts from University of Hawaii at Manoa have stated that they were able to raise 10 piglets which will glow green in the dark. As explained in their article in Transgenic Research  Zhenfang Wu, Johann Urschitz, Stefan Moisyadi and others describe the use of a new technology to obtain these transgenic pigs. The scientists were able to insert the gene for Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) from Aequorea Victoria  jellyfish into the porcine DNA using a new technology is called piggyBAC-mediated transposition of transgenes.

It is not the first time that such green-glowing transgenic pigs have been created. In 2006 researchers from the National Taiwan university also reported to have bred three male pigs which glow in the dark.

The ultimate goal of all this research is to introduce beneficial genes into larger animals to create less costly and more efficient medicines. This has for instance already been tried with the gene of transferrin in cows (Stier Herman of Pharming Group NV in the Netherlands as described by Krimpenfort et al in 1991).