Genetically modified pets are here and you can buy one for $5

Have you ever wondered if you would be able to own a genetically modified pet, perhaps one in wild colors not found in nature? The answer is yes, and you can have one today for just $5. These are GlowFish: ornamental species that have been modified with jellyfish DNA to glow in wild fluorescent colors. How were these modern marvels created and what might come of the pet trade in the future?

24/7 Wall St. Perspectives

• Many cereal crops and some animal species have been genetically modified to improve disease resistance and profitability.
• GloFish are the first pets available for sale that have been genetically modified for aesthetic reasons.
• Also: Discover the “Next Nvidia”

How does genetic engineering work?

In the simplest terms for a complex process, genetic engineering involves using technology to change an organism’s DNA. This can mean just changing a single base pair of DNA, deleting a region of it, or adding a new segment of DNA. Genes from one organism can be spliced ​​into another organism’s DNA. In one experiment, salmon DNA was successfully spliced ​​into the genetic code of a tomato species to make it more cold-hardy.

What species of plants and animals are GMOs?

Many plant species are now genetically modified organisms (GMOs), including soybeans, alfalfa, apples, corn, canola, cotton, sugar canes, squash, potatoes, yellow squash, papaya, and pink pineapple. Modifications to these crops increase productivity, resilience and resistance to diseases, pests and herbicides. Farmers can spray herbicides over some GMO crops and kill only the weeds, not the crop. Two genetically modified animals are currently in commercial production: the AquAdvantage salmon that grows faster than normal and the GalSafe pig that does not have the alpha-gal sugar that some people are allergic to. Work is underway on a cow with a lighter coat that can thrive in warmer climates – an important advance as the climate warms.

Advantages and disadvantages of GMOs

Genetically modified organisms can be more profitable for farmers and produce a better quality product for consumers. They can make agricultural land more productive so that it can support more people without clearing areas for crops and livestock. Numerous studies have found them to be completely safe for human and animal consumption.

On the other hand, GMOs raise fears of contaminating the biosphere and food supply in ways that could occur unpredictably in the future. For example, a GMO crop could be grown so much that it decreases the biodiversity and survival of a species if a disease or pest to which they are not resistant appears. Some people oppose GMOs because they support large-scale agribusiness, which is a major contributor to climate change. Some also object to research companies patenting living species like manufactured products.

How GloFish were developed

This zebrafish is a GMO Glofish.

GloFish was first developed from zebrafish (Danio rerio), a small gold and blue striped fish native to India and Bangladesh. In 1999, researchers modified the fish with jellyfish DNA to give it a bright green florescence. The intention was to make a fish that could detect pollution by glowing when it interacted with toxins in the water. Later, the process was repeated to create a fluorescent red fish from marine coral DNA and a yellow-orange one from another type of jellyfish gene. Since these early developments, several species of GloFish have become available, including cory, pristella, tetra, longfin tetra, angelfish, barbs and sharks. Currently available colors are marketed as Starfire Red, Electric Green, Sunburst Orange, Cosmic Blue, Galactic Purple and Moonrise Pink.

How do you care about GloFish?

According to the GloFish website, the care requirements for these fish are no different than their conventional counterparts. All are freshwater fish that do best when kept in communities of five or more. An exception is the shark, which can be aggressive with others of its own species, but is content in a school of compatible freshwater species.

Where can you buy GloFish?

GloFish are marketed by GloFish LLC. They are not available in California because of a 2003 law that was meant to prevent the spread of biotech salmon. They are also illegal in Europe. In Canada and 49 US states, they are available from major retailers such as Petsmart, Petco, Amazon and Chewy. You can find them for as low as $5 or as high as $35 or more. Breeding GloFish to sell is illegal because the company owns intellectual property rights to them.

Could GloFish become invasive?

Although there are many species of fluorescent fish and other marine life in the wild, most are found in the oceans, not in the warm freshwater environments that are the native habitats of the various GloFish species. GMO GloFish have reduced fertility and produce fewer eggs when they reproduce. Their color compromises their ability to camouflage themselves from predators. If the species were to escape into the wild, it would be expected to die out relatively quickly due to natural selection.

Other GMO pets possible in the near future

In this photo, presented for conceptual purposes only, normal white laboratory rats sit on a bright green surface. The color approximates the kind of shiny fur and skin that researchers have obtained with other laboratory mammals.

You may be able to buy other types of fluorescent pets in the future. Mice and rabbits that strangely glow green in the dark like fireflies have already been obtained for medical research purposes, such as easier identification of cancer cells. A shiny dog ​​or cat might be an exciting novelty (especially around Halloween!), but other types of genetic modification might be more useful, such as developing non-allergenic, flea-resistant pets or longer life. Many pet lovers would be interested in the technology to clone a beloved pet. Others would like to customize their pet’s eye color and coat color and pattern. More sinisterly, a much more aggressive dog could be developed as a guard animal or for military purposes. And we’ve all seen that movie before. . . no thanks!

GMO Distant Future Pets

On the more distant horizon may be the possibility of tweaking the DNA of wild animals to make them smaller and more docile, bringing back extinct species, or even creating true chimeras, resulting in creatures that dramatically combine the characteristics of two or more organisms. Combining human and animal or plant DNA is technically feasible, but will likely remain an ethical taboo for many years to come. The more extreme the modifications to living organisms, the greater the practical and ethical concerns. But for now, if it makes you happy to have a tank of shiny Frankenstein fish, you can have it.

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