What Are These Zebra Danios

[loraxchick]

Sorry. It's just being a geneticist student I hear from quite a few people how genetically modifying or altering ANYTHING is wrong and bad. And they come up with some fntastic reasons why (normally they refer to zombie films like I am legend! Lol)

Anyways... it just makes me want to spread the word. That although I would never comment on someone disagreeing with it because they think animals etc should remain as they were intended.
The majority of people (and this isn't aimed at you), don't understand just how integral genetics (the understanding and manipulation of) is used to improve your life.

i 100% agree with this. the majority of folks see "genetically modified" and freak out saying bad, wrong, etc., without really understanding what is happening. while it can have harmful implications in some instances, mostly it is done to produce some benefit!
while there is not benefit to having danios "glo" other than to show that the splicing worked (or to "make" colorful fish without injections/dyes) i see nothing wrong with them in the trade/hobby. i dont personally like them, but IMO, hybrid species are a far more serious genetic issue than glofish. glofish are essentially the same as other danios, they just have just been "given" the ability to produce those colors. hybrid fish come with a big array of genetic problems in the form of growth/development/reproduction. i know there are opinions on these fish too.
i dont really know how antibiotic resistance got brought in to the discussion but not really the same thing as splicing genes (which is not a "natural" process like random mutation for the benefit of the organism-which is what antibiotic resistance really is). the presence of the antibiotics (being an environmental factor) causes those randomly mutated bacteria (those who randomly developed a mutation somewhere in their DNA to not be killed, or be more tolerant of the presence of antibiotics) simply survive where the "non-mutated" microbes can not. it is all about random genetic mutation, and survival of the fittest thru natural selection (it all goes back to my friend Darwin). that mutation is beneficial to that organism, so it survives where others without perish. drives the genes forward into future generation until before you know it, ALL the bacteria of that species are resistant. and yes-it IS evolution!!! i actually use this as discussion on evolution and argument FOR evolution as fact (and not just theory). you can see evolution happening right before your eyes (practically) if you use microbes and antibiotic resistance.
i think some folks just dont really comprehend what is happening. but it IS happening all around us
and just to be clear, im not trying to sway people into thinking its is great and you should love these fish, but as Curiosity said, trying to make sure folks dislike them for the "right" reason, ad not for the simple fact that they just carry a different gene.
just more random thoughts on the subject (can you tell it hits home with me?).
love the discussion! fun stuff

cheers

 

[Curiosity101]

Oh and just to say, I wouldn't agree with glo-fish if they'd been created purely for the aquarium trade. Although there is no reason that the fish will be harmed by the gene for flourescence. I do agree the line has to be drawn somewhere.
And genetic modification just for the hell of it is wrong. Although to my knowledge that doesn't really go ahead... often (even if it's not obvious from the outset), any modification normally has a higher purpose/theory behind it.

 

[Ludwig Venter]

I honestly have no problem if the fish is systematically developed by "line breeding".... it is only when they are dyed fish or injected fish, that I will not consider to buy them. These look so good.... and it seems to be "line breeding"... I will consider them for my community tank.

 

[loraxchick]

I honestly have no problem if the fish is systematically developed by "line breeding".... it is only when they are dyed fish or injected fish, that I will not consider to buy them. These look so good.... and it seems to be "line breeding"... I will consider them for my community tank.

the original dna modified fish may not have been so bright. ive never seen any photos of them. this is not a "new fish" as they have been developed quite a few years ago. since the gen for the color protein can be passed down to future generations, i suppose it is possible to select the brightest of the bunch to create brighter ones (even for color mutations of the gene) and "line breed" them for the super bright colors we see in the hobby now.
such a great topic. i like genetics. interesting stuff.
cheers

 

[drobbyb]

Hmm... Punnett square anyone?