Researcher are still in the
infancy-state of genetic engineering, but the advances they are making
and future technologies that might be possible are simply amazing. This
week news arrived that University of Cincinnati researchers managed to
insert a firefly gene that causes the insects to light up into the DNA
of zebrafish. The zebrafish light up when they are exposed to PCBs.
“These fish are much more sensitive
than current water testing systems that can detect concentrations of PCBs,” Dr. Daniel Nebert, a University of Cincinnati researcher, said.
Aside from their sensitivity,
using zebrafish could be both cheaper and quicker for testing PCB levels
in water samples than conventional methods. Apparently the fish are not
harmed and can be used repeatedly since they will stop glowing after a
sufficient time spent away from PCB-contaminated water.
A demonstration project to
use the zebrafish at Lake Harsha, Ohio, is currently in the planning stages.
Lake water will be pumped into tanks holding the genetically modified
zebrafish as early as this spring.
Reference:
“Researchers use genetically altered zebrafish as toxin detectors.” The
Associated Press, January 6, 2000.