Aquatic Animals
Aquatic animals are extremely important in researching genetic modification and seeing how it can be used to alter genes within animals. Below are some of the most interesting and important ways that genetic engineering is being used with aquatic animals.
Faster Growing Salmon
One of the most well known ways genetic modification is used in aquatic animals is the faster growing of salmon. Made by a U.S. company, AquaBounty, their AquAdvantage salmon can grow in half the time it takes for a normal salmon to grow. They are grown as sterile, female salmon kept out of wildlife, so they pose no threat in reproducing or escaping into the wild. AquAdvantage salmon are extremely profitable as it takes half as long to get them on the market to sell.
Here is a comparison of genetically modified salmon versus regular salmon.
GloFish
GloFish is a commercial brand of fish that have been genetically modified to glow in florescent colors. As an embryo, these fish have a fluorescent gene injected into them before hatching. Unlike some other genetic modifications, the injected gene can be passed on to their offspring giving their children their signature glow. These fish are created for the enjoyment of people, not necessarily for advancements in scientific research.
Here is an example of GloFish's "electric green" color of fish.
Jellyfish Lit Christmas Trees
Although this may sound ridiculous, there has been shown to be promise in Christmas trees that will light up by themselves. Postgraduate students at the University of Hertfordshire in the UK have found a way using two genes, one from fluorescent jellyfish and the other from fireflies, to enable trees to glow by themselves. Though this technology is only research and still has to be perfected, it is an interesting idea as to the capabilities of genetic modification.
As genetic modification becomes more advanced, self-glowing Christmas trees can become a reality thanks to genes found in jellyfish. (Image Citation 58)