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Chinese Scientists Create Genetically Modified Low-Fat Pigs (npr.org)
Chinese scientists have created low-fat pigs using new genetic engineering techniques. "In a paper published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the scientists report that they have created 12 healthy pigs with about 24 percent less body fat than normal pigs," reports NPR. From the report: The scientists created low-fat pigs in the hopes of providing pig farmers with animals that would be less expensive to raise and would suffer less in cold weather. The animals have less body fat because they have a gene that allows them to regulate their body temperatures better by burning fat. That could save farmers millions of dollars in heating and feeding costs, as well as prevent millions of piglets from suffering and dying in cold weather. The Chinese scientists created the animals using a new gene-editing technique known as CRISPR-Cas9. It enables scientists to make changes in DNA much more easily and precisely than ever before. Pigs lack a gene, called UPC1, which most other mammals have. The gene helps animals regulate their body temperatures in cold temperatures. The scientists edited a mouse version of the gene into pig cells. They then used those cells to create more than 2,553 cloned pig embryos. Next, scientists implanted the genetically modified cloned pig embryos into 13 female pigs. Three of the female surrogate mother pigs became pregnant, producing 12 male piglets, the researchers report.
Chinese Scientists Create Less Tasty Pigs
Baconless pig is for millenials.
They then used those cells to create more than 2,553 cloned pig embryos. Next, scientists implanted the genetically modified cloned pig embryos into 13 female pigs.
That's a lot (196) of embryos per pig. The female pigs would have exploded if the embryos had all been viable.
At least the piglets look cute.
The animals were slaughtered when they were six months old so scientists could analyze their bodies.
Oh damn, that was harsh.
Let the bacon jokes begin...
Also this https://xkcd.com/1823/
Pigs can't burn fat for warmth (according to the summary).
Because of this the only defense against cold pigs have is accumulating more fat, and small/young ones die.
This modification means they require less fat to regulate body temperature, and burn more when it's cold (which is why they are leaner).
Wow, sent an e-mail as suggested when clicking on "use classic" banner, and got a fast response that addressed my msg
fta -"..The animals have less body fat because they have a gene that allows them to regulate their body temperatures better by burning fat. "
Chinese find a way to leave you feeling even hungrier after eating Chinese food. News at 11:00.
A gene that gives the lower-fat pigs more flavor, otherwise, I don't see how this is an improvement over white-meat chicken.
I used to go hunting a lot. Feral pigs (or boars) are super aggressive and destroy the area they are in. You need a reasonably large caliber rifle to kill them, they breed like crazy and are full of worms so you can't eat them. They will attack humans, are smarter than a dog and boars can grow pretty big - you would not want to mess with one unless you had a weapon.
*Anything* that can potentially get into the wild, like a genetically engineered pig that can survive cold, is a really, really bad idea. Expect at least one of these pigs to escape and breed in the wild.
This is an extremely short sighted endeavor.
My ism, it's full of beliefs.
Something I noticed - pork in my birth country, Australia, is already low fat, due to selective breeding. Here in Asia it is very fatty - people seem to prefer that.
If it acquires resources on instantiation like a duck, then its a shared_ptr<Duck>
Yeah, because proper Spanish pork is "low fat".
It only seems to be America where pork is supposed to be "the other white meat". This fixation doesn't seem to exist anywhere else in the world (at least until now). Other European pork also doesn't seem to have this low fat tasteless quality.
"The other white meat" needs to die a fiery death.
A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.