Get your hypoallerginic kitties!

[RStar]

Yes, science has come up with sneeze-free kitties!

Check it out here!

They are not genitically modified, in case you were wondering....

[Not Afraid]

the first in a planned series of lifestyle pets

Sounds like a condom.

[SzczerbiakManiac]

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

Sounds like a condom.

Don't they already make pussy condoms...?

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Originally Posted by article

Using "gene silencing" technology...

Holy crap! GD and I just saw a thing on this on Nova last night. RNAi is going to revolutionize the world!

[Nephythys]

Originally Posted by RStar

Yes, science has come up with sneeze-free kitties!

Check it out here!

They are not genitically modified, in case you were wondering....

Um, the title says "Genetically Modified Cats for Sale"

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by Nephythys

Um, the title says "Genetically Modified Cats for Sale"

Gene silencing is an interesting bit of science. Basically, rather than cutting genes out or modifying genes, instead it takes advantage of a strange quirk in cellular self-defense. Basically, if you insert a gene that's the combination of an existing gene + its mirror image (a common structure of viruses), there's a built in mechanism that identifies that mirror image gene as faulty and goes about destroying the product of BOTH the introduced double gene and the original gene. So it's a relatively non-invasive way of shutting of a single gene without major genetic manipulation.

[Nephythys]

I would assume that messing with the genetic structure of a lifeform- no matter how non-invasive- is still genetic modification.

If there is a market for the cats- great- but the title said genetically modified, then the OP says they are not genetically modified- so I was wondering about the contradiction.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by Nephythys

I would assume that messing with the genetic structure of a lifeform- nno matter how non-invasive- is still genetic modification.

If there is a market for the cats- great- but the title said genetically modified, then the OP says they are not genetically modified- so I was wondering about the contradiction.

I suppose it depends on how it's accomplished. For example, they've used gene silencing experimentally to treat macular degeneration by simply injecting a mirrored version of a vein-production gene into the eye. They aren't modifying genes, simply introducing an outside gene to stimulate a natural cellular response.

[€uroMeinke]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

Gene silencing is an interesting bit of science. Basically, rather than cutting genes out or modifying genes, instead it takes advantage of a strange quirk in cellular self-defense. Basically, if you insert a gene that's the combination of an existing gene + its mirror image (a common structure of viruses), there's a built in mechanism that identifies that mirror image gene as faulty and goes about destroying the product of BOTH the introduced double gene and the original gene. So it's a relatively non-invasive way of shutting of a single gene without major genetic manipulation.

Thank you for turning the wikipedia goobledegook into something understandable. Still I weep for all the allergenic kitties out there who still need a home - and sniffle a bit too since I have a cat allergy.

[RStar]

Originally Posted by Nephythys

Um, the title says "Genetically Modified Cats for Sale"

I read about this in the news register, and looked for an article to post here. In the Register, the spicifically said they were not genetically modified, and I didn't notice the headline.

I'm not sure how all of that works, but like GD pointed out, "Gene Splicing" and "Gene Manipulation" are quite different. Gene splicing is much more like cross breading, which has been going on for thousands of years. We wouldn't have all the thousands of breads of cats, dogs, horses, or cattle otherwise. Not to mention the ass.

Did you see the last line in the article?


In August, Genetic Savings & Clone -- another Californian company -- announced that it had successfully cloned two kittens from a one-year-old female Bengal cat and said it could clone anyone's pet for around $50,000.
Genetic Savings & Clone ? Cute.....