GFP Axolotls Video

[dchill]

For anyone who hasn't seen them in action, I've created a video of my GFP axolotls. Besides the coloring, there isn't any other real difference in look or behavior.



If you have any questions about them, please feel free to ask. There was already a thread with a link to a GFP photo and it got closed due to people arguing about the ethics of animal testing.

They are hard to take video of... :)

and here is a video of them in normal lighting:

[Julia]

What is/ are GFP axolotl's .... not heard the term before. I thought the video was fine..they looked like little floating aliens to me.

[Benjamin Tajer]

Are they genetically modified to glow in the dark? I personally am 100% in favor of genetic modifications.

[dchill]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_fluorescent_protein

here's some more info on GFP aka: green fluorescent protein

Its basically a genetic modification that creates the same protein that some jellyfish have and then they glow very brightly under a standard black light.

[Abrahm]

Originally Posted by ben_tajer

Are they genetically modified to glow in the dark? I personally am 100% in favor of genetic modifications.

They don't glow in the dark. GFP (Green fluorescent protein) fluoresces, meaning under a certain wavelength of light they give off a different wavelength of light. In this case UVA light causes them to fluoresce green.

Luminescence is the glow in the dark phenomenon. The common light generating reaction in biology labs is the breakdown of luciferin by the enzyme luciferase. I don't know if any vertebrates have been genetically modified to glow in the dark as I worked with yeast, but I imagine it would be problematic because you would have to somehow get luciferin into to the animal to react with the luciferase. The yeast we grew gave off very, very little light.

[Jacob Bidinger]

There are also frogs (Silurana tropicalis), a rabbit named 'Alba', mice and rats that are GFP. I've also read that there is gfp corn but couldn't find any pictures.

[Sarah]

Wow I love the idea - "glow in the dark" axolotls! (It is catchier to say that than Green fluorescent protein axolotls, despite the inaccuracy :P) They look healthy enough and I don't have a moral objection to genetic modification, so... where can I get one?? :)

[dchill]

They are very healthy and eating well. The black light seems to make them more active, which I'm guessing might be because they don't like it; who knows. I turn the black light on infrequently just in case.

[Jacob Bidinger]

Originally Posted by dchill

They are very healthy and eating well. The black light seems to make them more active, which I'm guessing might be because they don't like it; who knows. I turn the black light on infrequently just in case.

Most of my larvae/juvies act the same when I turn the black light on. I suspect it's just a natural reaction because my normal axolotls act the same way when a normal or black light is turned on. They're just as healthy as normal axolotls, the only thing different is the green protein.

[Lisa]

My kids would love those!

[Becky]

I'm just curious as to why this was done to an axolotl. Is it for a specific reason or is it just to make it glow?

[Sarah]

Becky, here is some info on GFP:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_f...in#Utilization

[Becky]

Thank you for that Sarah. I did note however that it said using this method is 'much less harmful', so does this means that there is a small amount of harm possible?

[Sarah]

According to my biologist friend, no, GFP modifications are not harmful. This matches what I have read in some journal articles (that I have been googling this afternoon after seeing this thread ).

She says GFP is very useful in an experimental setting. Like for example, if you want to measure the expression of a particular protein, you can just "tag" that protein, and then when you culture the cells it's really easy to see and quantify.

[Becky]

Im just curious Sarah thats all.
I've got a picture in my head of lots of kiddies pestering their parents " I want a gloaxolotl". And we know where that sort of thing ends.

[frances dansie]

I agree i see more kids and adults wanting glowing axies than rushing out to buy newts because of a film.
i know what my children would have preferred IF they were ever given the choice.

[Julia]

Ohhhh...

My initial thought is why mess with axolotl, they are perfect as they are. I personally dislike the idea of genetic modification of anything , but I suppose there is little difference to , say unnatural dog breeding's of bull terriers spaniels for example .( hubby says thats a bad example). I will look at the links later when I have a little more time .

[Levo]

Originally Posted by dchill

They are very healthy and eating well. The black light seems to make them more active, which I'm guessing might be because they don't like it; who knows. I turn the black light on infrequently just in case.

Maybe they are more active with the black light because they are nocturnal animals and the black light doesn't disturb them too much, as well as them being young and more active anyways.

The glowing axolotl's would be very nice asetheticly, but if it isn't harmless then I wouldn't want to see it in a mass production way. I don't know if I agree with GM or not its such a hard debate, first of all you are taking away the survival of the fittest from natures hands which can have unseen conquences, but thinking about what GM can offer, starving families could have a GM meat or vegatables which has a great nutritional value to help them survive.

Random fact of the day: Cat pee glows under black light.

[Sarah]

Yea I was pretty curious too Becky I did not consider the kind of harm you are talking about though, which is a possibility and quite likely. Hopefully their parents will do a bit of research though if this is the case!

Bellabelloo, I see genetic modification in largely the same way I see selective breeding, just genetic modification is more efficient and effective so I have no problems with GM. Of course, as with all science, there are possibilities for harmful modifications to be made - but if you look through history so far the good of science has far outweighed the bad (in my opinion at least - and this is partially based on the fact humans are not extinct yet!). I hope the same will occur with genetic modification - the benefits from it are potentially *huge*. For example, I don't think axolotls are "perfect as they are", or any species for that matter. If they could have some kind of modification to make them immune to fungus, for example, that would greatly reduce the amount of "sick axolotl" forum threads!

[Becky]

My feelings on genetically modifying things are this. Yes ok so you can modify something to perhaps wipe out a disease or at least find a way to control it, but I feel nature has its own way of dealing with things and nature will of course find a way to deal with GM creatures. Nature is far bigger then anything . Nature found a way to eradicate Dinosaurs (for instance) and if they were still around we wouldn't be, at least not in the populations that we are.
I have previously worked with people who had noticed the effect of only breeding certain types of Guppy strain.These guppies were bred purely for the look of their long beautiful colourful tails, a lot of which you now see in aquatic stores. After constantly breeding these strains they were found to become considerably weaker and more prone to disease then the wild guppy.
This led on to breeders aquiring healthy wild stock from abroad to gradually introduce the health and strength back into their own breeding stock. Basically natures own was the better type.
I feel we will always be fighting a constant battle to 'control' things. We cure one disease, another bigger more virilent disease is around the corner and this can't be eradicated by our previous efforts, so we keep trying to wipe that out. I feel its a vicious circle. Nature will find a way.