Glowing Green Baby Marmosets - GM Genes Passed on

Heritable genetic modification in primates has been achieved by Japanese researchers.

Genetically modified monkeys that glow in the dark and pass the trait on to their young have been created by scientists in Japan in controversial research that "raises the stakes" over animals rights.

Genetic modification of primates, giving hope for gene therapy for human disease has already been demonstrated, but this is the first time that GM traits have been passed successfully to primate offspring. This accomplishment gives hope that heritable genetic conditions may one day be curable.

However, it also raises a host of ethical and moral questions.

Jellyfish gene

Now, Erika Sasaki of the Central Institute for Experimental Animals in Japan, and her colleagues, have introduced a gene into marmoset embryos that allows them to build green fluorescent protein (GFP) in their tissues.

The protein is so-called because it glows green in a process known as fluorescence.

GFP was originally isolated from the jellyfish Aequorea victoria, which glows green when exposed to blue light

Monkeys are genetically close enough to humans that it may be now possible to create a green glowing human baby.Jellyfish genes in primates are just plain freaky.