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Genetically Engineered Micropigs to Be Sold as Pets
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Over the years, chihuahuas have become chihuahuas and pugs have become pugs because people have bred those dogs to bring out certain traits and inhibit others. A genomics institute in China called BGI is doing the same thing with pigs — but in a much faster way.
The Shenzhen-based company started with a small breed of pig called a Bama. It then used a gene-editing technique to make that already small pig even smaller. On September 23, the company announced at a summit in Shenzhen that it would start selling the micropigs for 10,000 yuan (about $1,570, £1,037, AU$2,245). Customers will be able to choose their very own pig color and coat patterns, which the company can create through further gene editing.
The animals weren’t originally created to be pets. They were brought to life to help study human disease, because pigs are closer to humans than either rats or mice in terms of their physiology and genetic makeup, according to Nature magazine, which reported this story Tuesday. In addition to finding their way into homes, the micropigs will also continue to be used in research, potentially helping scientists learn more about a condition called Laron syndrome that causes dwarfism. Proceeds from the sale of the pigs will aid this research.
Source: http://truthisscary.com/2015/10/genetically-engineered-micropigs-to-be-sold-as-pets/
