Green-Glowing Cats to be Used to Study HIV

Researchers in the United States have genetically created green glowing cats in order to help study the HIV/AIDS virus. Researchers led by Dr Eric Poeschla made use of a gene present in the jellyfish that expresses proteins which emit a green glow when illuminated with certain frequencies of light.

The gene, known as GFP gene, was inserted into adult cats which then gave birth to luminous kittens.

Dr Poeschala said that the study will be beneficial both to humans and for cats since they too are affected by a virus, known as Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), that causes AIDS. “One of the best things about this biomedical research is that it is aimed at benefiting both human and feline health. It can help cats as much as people”, he wrote in the report published in the journal Nature Methods.

Source-Medindia