Scientists put human gene into monkeys to make them smarter, human-like
Scientists put human gene into monkeys to make them
smarter, human-like
Shazma Khan April 11, 2019
Making monkeys more smart and human-like, scientists have
used gene-editing to insert human brain gene in a monkey.
For the first time, a team of Chinese scientists made use
of gene-editing techniques to make monkey brains more human-like. By the end,
the monkeys, rhesus macaques, got smarter and had superior memories as compared
to the unaltered monkeys.
Researchers edited the human version of a gene known as
‘MCPH1’ into the macaques. The gene made the monkeys’ brain develop along a
more human-like timeline. The gene-hacked monkeys showed better reaction times
and improved short-term memories in comparison to their unaltered peers, as per
China Daily.
Chinese scientists clone gene-edited monkeys for disease
research
The team successfully created 11 transgenic rhesus
monkeys carrying human copies of MCPH1. They said that a transgenic monkey
model is practical and to a large extent can imitate the human-specific status.
However, few scientists also raised concerns regarding
the technique, some even calling it ‘reckless’. Geneticist James Sikela told
the MIT Technology Review, “The use of transgenic monkeys to study human genes
linked to brain evolution is a very risky road to take. It is a classic
slippery slope issue and one that we can expect to recur as this type of
research is pursued.”
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