Glofish

Transgenic zebrafish differ from their original form in body color. Fragments of DNA of jellyfish ( Latin Aequorea Victoria ) and red coral (from the genus of Latin Discosoma ) are embedded in their DNA. Danio with a jellyfish DNA fragment ( GFP gene) is green , with coral DNA (RFP gene) is red, and the fish, in the genotype of which both fragments are yellow . Due to the presence of these alien proteins, the fish glow brightly in ultraviolet light.

The transgenic form prefers warmer water - around 28 ° C. Keeping, feeding or differences in breeding and development of genetically modified Danio rerio are not noticed: transgenic fish are just as unpretentious in content and peaceful.

All individuals of GloFish have a fluorescent color from the moment of birth, which lasts for a lifetime and becomes brighter as the fish grows older. Luminous color is transmitted to the fry during reproduction of transgenic species.

The natural danio rerio, from which GloFish was grown, lives in the rivers of India and Bangladesh . It has a size of about three centimeters in length and gold and blue stripes located along the body. Over the past 50 years , these fish have been sold for over $ 200 million in the market of ornamental fish in the United States , but despite this, no one in the United States was engaged in their reproduction, primarily because they are tropical fish and cannot exist in conditions of temperate North American climate.

In 1999, Dr. Zhiyuan Gong and his colleagues at the National University of Singapore worked with the gene for green fluorescent protein (GFP), which nature has endowed with only some Pacific jellyfish . This gene is responsible for the synthesis of protein phosphor, which in the dark emits rays of a pleasant greenish color. They inserted this gene into the zebrafish embryo , which made it possible to create a genome that gave the fish a bright fluorescent color from both natural white light and ultraviolet radiation.

The initial goal of genetic engineers was to facilitate the observation of the internal organs of these translucent fish. But a photo of a fish glowing with a greenish light, shown at a scientific conference, was seen by a representative of a company engaged in breeding and selling aquarium fish. By order of the company, another gene of red luminescence, isolated from sea coral, was added to the danios genome. The resulting breed was named "Night Pearl". Individuals that have received the jellyfish and coral DNA genes glow yellow.

In the USA, luminous zebrafish were originally obtained in order to create living indicators of pollution: in the presence of certain toxic substances in the water, the fish had to change color. But in 2003, businessmen and scientists signed a contract according to which the first genetically modified fish GloFish appeared on the market.

In addition to the red fluorescent zebrafish sold under the Red Starfish trademark ( English Starfire Red ), by mid- 2006, green and orange-yellow fluorescent zebrafish were bred, and in 2011, blue and purple. These genetic lines of fish are given the trade name "Electrically Green" ( Eng. Electric Green ), "Sunny Orange" ( Eng. Sunburst Orange ), "Cosmic Blue" ( eng. Cosmic Blue ) and "Galactic-Purple" ( eng Galactic Purple . All of these fish were bred using genetic engineering using recombinant DNA from various sea corals .

In 2012, a new species of fluorescent aquarium fish under the name of the green variety of English. “Electric Green” GloFish , which were bred by the same method as the previous ones, but instead of danio-rerio, ordinary terntions were used ( lat. Gymnocorymbus ternetzi ). In 2015, Sumatran barbs ( lat. (Puntius tetrazona) ) were presented in green ^[1] .

Despite the spread of opinion about the sterility or sterilization of genetically modified fish for the purpose of not spreading them in natural waters, you can get quite healthy and viable offspring from GloFish . However, the Commission on the restriction of the use of genetic technologies ( eng. GURT ) is strictly prohibited to breed, sell and sell fluorescent fish. .

The sale and storage of GloFish remains illegal in California due to a regulation restricting the breeding of any genetically modified fish. The resolution was introduced before the start of GloFish sales, mainly due to concerns about the biotechnology of fast-growing salmon . Although the fish commission refused to provide an exception (for ethical reasons) in December 2003, it subsequently changed course and decided to move forward with the goal of freeing GloFish from regulation.

Canada also bans the importation and sale of GloFish, due to the lack of sufficient information to make a security decision.

Within the European Union , the import, sale and storage of these fish is not permitted. However, on November 9, 2006, the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment of the Netherlands found 1,400 fluorescent fish that are sold in various aquarium stores. ^[2]

• Genetically modified organism
• Genetic engineering

• GloFish.com website (eng.)
• GloFish video (eng.)
• US Patent by Dr. Gong