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Science Watch

Demon Gene (Genetic technology)

Dr. Stephen Zawistowski, Ph.D., Sr. VP Animal Sciences, ASPCA

“Are you mad, my friend?…Whither does your senseless curiosity lead you? Would you also create for yourself and the world a daemonical enemy?”
—Mary W. Shelley, Frankenstein, 1818

When Watson and Crick published their proposed structure for deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in 1953, they ushered in a half-century of biological research that brings reality eye to eye with Shelley’s fiction. In brief, here are some of the new biotechnologies:

Nuclear transfer. In 1997, the first successful example of the cloning of an adult mammal was presented to the world in the form of Dolly the sheep. Since then, hundreds of other sheep, and cattle, have been cloned using nuclear material from a differentiated, or body, cell. Writing in the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science in 2000, Van’t Hoog, de Cock Buning and Hazekamp consider the animal welfare aspects of this work. In addition to certain physical anomalies that affect the animals’ health and well-being, the authors question what the impact of large-scale production of clones might be on the value of animal life in a world that already struggles to value the lives of individual farm and research animals apart from their commercial interest.

Then there is Missy the dog. Most dog lovers attest to having had one dog who stands apart from all others. Missy is such a dog to her family in Texas, and while she is still alive, her human caretakers want to ensure that her great qualities endure. Although Missy, a mixed-breed shelter dog, has been spayed, her family has the means to endow a substantial research project at Texas A&M University, with the goal of cloning Missy. Everyone involved fully understands that while a clone will be a genetic copy of Missy, the inability to duplicate her life experiences precludes the creation of an exact copy that will be another Missy.

In addressing the ethical aspects of the “Missyplicity” project, the Texas research team has considered everything from, “Why clone dogs when there are so many homeless pets in shelters?” to “Is this a case of playing God?” They point out that their research, in addition to cloning Missy, will provide a substantial benefit to the welfare of all dogs. The knowledge that is gained on canine reproductive physiology, for example, can be applied to the development of nonsurgical methods of contraception for dogs, or to saving endangered species of canines.

Transgenic experiments. These involve the transfer of genetic material from one organism, or species, to another. For example, insulin can now be produced by genetically modified bacteria. The genes that code for other important human proteins can be inserted into the chromosomes of goats. When successful, these goats can be milked, and the human protein can be extracted from the goat milk.

Animal welfare concerns are raised by a number of transgenic projects. In one, pigs have been modified to mimic the human immunoresponse profile, so that pig organs can be transplanted to humans with reduced probability of rejection. In addition to concerns about the welfare of the pigs used in this research, there are questions about the safety of introducing pig genetic material into humans. For instance, it may be possible for pig genetic material to harbor latent viruses that will become virulent following transplantation.

Other genetic technology. Gene technology offers the promise of alternatives to the use of animals in testing. DNA markers, for example, may make it possible to evaluate chemical toxicity without using animals. Genetically modified tissue cultures could also reduce or eliminate the use of animals in testing. On the other hand, a growing number of genetically altered mouse strains points to the increased use of mice in a wide variety of research applications. This factor undoubtedly weighs heavily in the ongoing debate over extending the protections of the Animal Welfare Act to mice used in research.

In the end, whether biotechnology becomes a demon that causes more animal suffering will depend on the vigilance of the animal protection community and public participation in the ongoing debates. Modern genetic methods can either hold the answer to diseases and ailments that have plagued man and animals for thousands of years, or they can be the key to self-destruction.

Dr. “Z” is senior vice president, ASPCA Animal Sciences, and Animal Watch science advisor.

Courtesy of
ASPCA
424 East 92nd St.
New York, NY 10128-6804
(212) 876-7700
www.aspca.org

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