ANDi is the first
genetically modified
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification or genetic manipulation, is the modification and manipulation of an organism's genes using technology. It is a set of technologies used to change the genetic makeup of cells, including th ...
rhesus monkey
The rhesus macaque (''Macaca mulatta''), colloquially rhesus monkey, is a species of Old World monkey. There are between six and nine recognised subspecies split between two groups, the Chinese-derived and the Indian-derived. Generally brown or g ...
, who was born at
Oregon Health Sciences University
Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) is a
public university, public research university, research university focusing primarily on health sciences with a main campus, including two hospitals, in Portland, Oregon. The institution was founded ...
(OHSU) on October 1, 2001. OHSU named the monkey ANDi because it stands for ''iDNA'' spelled backward.
Birth circumstances
ANDi was born with an extra glowing gene called
green fluorescent protein
The green fluorescent protein (GFP) is a protein that exhibits green fluorescence when exposed to light in the blue to ultraviolet range. The label ''GFP'' traditionally refers to the protein first isolated from the jellyfish ''Aequorea victo ...
(GFP). This GFP gene, which is naturally occurring in
jellyfish
Jellyfish, also known as sea jellies or simply jellies, are the #Life cycle, medusa-phase of certain gelatinous members of the subphylum Medusozoa, which is a major part of the phylum Cnidaria. Jellyfish are mainly free-swimming marine animal ...
, was taken from a jellyfish and genetically added to ANDi's DNA sequence through his
chromosomes
A chromosome is a package of DNA containing part or all of the genetic material of an organism. In most chromosomes, the very long thin DNA fibers are coated with nucleosome-forming packaging proteins; in eukaryotic cells, the most importa ...
. OHSU used rhesus monkeys because they share 95% of the same genes as humans.
Genetic modification method
During the method in which ANDi was created, 224 eggs were injected with the protein and only 166 or 75% were successfully fertilized. 126 or 76% of these fertilized eggs developed to the four-cell-stage embryos. 40 of the fertilized embryos were implanted in 20 surrogate rhesus mothers, each carrying two embryos. 5 of the surrogates became pregnant. From these five surrogates, three live births proceeded. In these three monkey births, only one infant, ANDi, carried the transgene. Research team leader Gerald Schatten said the technique that created ANDi would become a vital tool for scientists investigating therapies for human diseases.
Implications
By being able to genetically modify a monkey, a new breakthrough in technology was formed. ANDi was created in the hope of finding a cure for complicated human diseases such as
cancer
Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...
. Since ANDi was born, scientists want to introduce more significant DNA changes. Scientists are looking to make genetic modifications such as those that would make primates closely mimic human diseases like breast cancer or
HIV
The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of '' Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the im ...
.
Scientists also want to try to study and cure other diseases through trans genetics such as
Alzheimer's
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease and the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. As the disease advances, symptoms can include problems wit ...
, AIDS, and
diabetes
Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a group of common endocrine diseases characterized by sustained high blood sugar levels. Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough of the hormone insulin, or the cells of th ...
.
Although ANDi carries the gene, it does not appear to be functional; ANDi does not actually glow.
See also
*
List of individual monkeys
This annotated list of individual monkeys includes monkeys who are in some way famous or notable. The list does not include notable apes or fictional primates.
Monkey actors
* Crystal – (brown capuchin) played in ''The Hangover Part II'', ''N ...
*
Tetra (monkey)
Tetra (born October 12, 1999) is a rhesus macaque that was created through a cloning technique called " embryo splitting". She is the first "cloned" primate by artificial twinning, and was created by a team led by Professor Gerald Schatten of th ...
References
{{reflist
Individual monkeys
Genetically modified organisms
2001 animal births
Individual primates in the United States