Sperm Can Picks Up Genes., page 1
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Topic started on 3-1-2006 @ 02:31 AM by Umbrax
Scientists have discovered that sperm can pick up genes from bacteria and the genes will show up in the embreo


www.sciencedaily.com
Spanish scientists working with mice have found that sperm contaminated with bacteria before in vitro fertilization can pick up genetic material.

The team from the agricultural research agency found that when the sperm was mixed with E. coli containing a gene for a fluorescent protein, from 12 to 19 percent of resulting embryos contained the gene.



I wonder what the implications are regarding this discovery and the future of genetic modification. Could there be some "cures" from this in the future?
Maybe down the line scientists will alter bacteria genetics then have it contaminate the sperm of a creature and creating a desired effect.


reply posted on 3-1-2006 @ 04:06 PM by soficrow


This is amazing. Not surprising given the new biomacromolecules that are kicking around these days, but OMG!

What are the implications do you think?

Also, I said in Mutation, Disease and Human Evolution: What Are the Options? that "From a certain perspective, microbes are vehicles that transport biomacromolecules between living organisms and non-living systems, thus balancing and standardizing the planet's biogeochemical composition."

GREAT find!
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