Glo Frogs

[OneOnion]

They're genetically modified as an embryo just like glofish, its quite humane really, I just don't see the point in it.

no, the introduced genes would have no effect on health. the genes simply "code" for production of different protein to make the skin colored like that.
cheers

People can put certain genes into embryos to make them grow differently? That's crazy! Like Jurassic Park! Kind of.

Actually, I watched a documentary on the science channel once about some scientists who were trying to turn chickens into dinosaurs. Like, they'd inject some stuff into a chicken's egg, or something like that.

 

[Mikaila31]

Yeah they have the GFP(green fluorescent protein) added to their DNA. if there is a scientific reason behind it or not doesn't bother me. The gene is used far and wide in molecular biology. In glofrogs and glofish it is in the skin cells. It can be coded lots of different ways, and make only specific types of cells glow. As well as be linked to other genes, if that gene is expressed the organism will also glow.

I made some bacteria glow this semester by introducing the GFP gene into it. It was the wrong strain or bacteria according to my professor. Either way they glowed .

 

[loraxchick]

I made some bacteria glow this semester by introducing the GFP gene into it. It was the wrong strain or bacteria according to my professor. Either way they glowed .

I have also done this in microbiology lab in college. you splice a gene into a culture, do a plate streak, and the resulting colonies of bacteria become florescent undr blacklights

it is actually widely used technique used my microbiologist as this gene(in conjunction with another "useful" gene-for,say,something like insulin production) can quickly and esily be recognized in a colony of bacteria. if you are tying to make the bacteria make something useful, the easiest way is to "tie" this gene to the florescent gene. if the resulting colonies "glow" then the bacteria contains the "useful" gene and will be able to make that particular substance.
fish (and now i guess frogs) are just a more complex orgnaism. same process,same result. and this wasn not developed out of cruelty or even for the fishtrade at all. scientists are trying this tecnique for "higher" organisms for certain gene therapies for differing diseases/conditions. if someday we humans benefit youll be thankful for those glow fish (i just dont "like" those particular fish). and it is not bad like, say, the cosmetic industry, who use lab animals for testing the products, with sometimes horrific consequences.
nothing wrond at all with it, just not my cup of tea.
just my 2 cents
cheers!

 

[keithp]

Well then the only bad thing is if some irresponsible person releases these frogs in the wild, that is a very real possibility and glowing frogs will do much damage to the environment.

 

[loraxchick]

why becasue they glow? or becasue you shouldnt be releasing non-native species into the environment (if released where they are not found wild, and even then in many climates they would not survive)? the "glowing" would in no way harm any frogs they would mate with in the wild. would simply pass the glow gene along. doesnt impede on their "lifestyle". only downfall maybe would make predators find them more easily...but then those frogs that dont glow would survive and the glowing ones would be eaten..that is what darwin called "natural selection".
cheers
edit to add*

 

[OneOnion]

My local pet store said that the original purpose of Glo-Fish was for them to be put into rivers and streams, and they'd start glowing if the water was polluted. I don't know how true that is, just saying.

 

[loraxchick]

My local pet store said that the original purpose of Glo-Fish was for them to be put into rivers and streams, and they'd start glowing if the water was polluted. I don't know how true that is, just saying.

absoultely not ture. they started in micro labs labs in asia.
cheers

 

[keithp]

Well here in the U.S. there are many places that these frogs are sold and can live fine in the wild. If they breed with wild frogs and pass on this trait, they will be doomed from being easy for prey to spot, that is in no way a good thing. I would hate to see a species die out over this.

They should stay in the labs and that's it, not be sold as pets. To many non-native species are already populating the wild here, some with bad consequences. Like pythons and green iguanas in Florida, and the snakehead fish.

All we need is genetically engineered animals populating the world now. "rolls eyes"

 

[TylerFerretLord]

Well here in the U.S. there are many places that these frogs are sold and can live fine in the wild. If they breed with wild frogs and pass on this trait, they will be doomed from being easy for prey to spot, that is in no way a good thing. I would hate to see a species die out over this.

This species is native to Africa. I doubt they can breed with any frog native to the US. Also, should they somehow manage to breed, the offspring would be at a severe disadvantage due to their color. They wouldn't survive to pass it on, but the normal frogs would.

They should stay in the labs and that's it, not be sold as pets. To many non-native species are already populating the wild here, some with bad consequences. Like pythons and green iguanas in Florida, and the snakehead fish.

All we need is genetically engineered animals populating the world now. "rolls eyes"

The things are bright pink. I would be tremendously surprised if they survive more than a day if they were released into the wild.

The non-GM frogs have been sold here for a while now(since the 60's, I think). If they could damage natural ecosystems and become an invasive species they would have already.

 

[ghhghh]

That's horrible
I have heard that getting a tattoo is a very painful experience
so imagine what that would be like for a tiny frog!!!!