Glow-in-the Dark Cats Cloned

Gyeongsang National University

A cloned Turkish Angola kitten glows red under UV light while an ordinary one is green.



December 14,2007
Scientists in South Korea have cloned cats that glow red when exposed to ultraviolet rays. The cats might someday help cure genetic diseases.

Researchers in South Korea have cloned a cat and modified its genes so that it will glow red under ultraviolet light, the Korea Times reports.

The Gyeongsang National University researchers, led by Prof. Kong Il-keun, modified the genes of Turkish Angora cats so that a red protein would glow in their skin when exposed to ultraviolet light, the paper reports.

The scientists modified the skin cells of the mother cat by using a virus to make the protein fluoresce, according to the Times.

Four of the glowing kittens were born in January and February of this year, but only three survived.

Researchers found that cells throughout the dead kitty fluoresced red, the paper said.

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