Perfect Example of Why Gene-Editing Worries Me

[makattak]

“We know exactly where the gene should go, and we put it in its exact location,” Recombinetics executives told Bloomberg in 2017. “We have all the scientific data that proves that there are no off-target effects.”

Recombinetics created a hornless BOVINE* by editing his genes. And ONLY those genes for horns. No other changes to him at all.

“This same outcome could be achieved by breeding in the farmyard,” declared the company's then-CEO Tammy Lee Stanoch in 2017. “This is precision breeding.”

BUT, as you can guess from my title, that absolute confidence was, SURPRISE!, mistaken:

https://www.technologyreview.com/s/614235/recombinetics-gene-edited-hornless-cattle-major-dna-screwup/

The FDA recently studied some of the bull's offspring and discovered they ALSO had bacterial DNA for anti-bacterial drug resistance added to the cow's DNA. Oops. Oh, and the company had no idea it was there. Ooops.

Because, according to the article (which I take with a grain of salt), you have to be looking for something to find it, effectively.

...to study DNA, researchers first have to decide which bits to isolate or check for—in effect, they’re often looking in the lamplight, a process that introduces assumptions and biases, according to the FDA scientists.

Do read the article to get a fuller idea of the screw up.

But, hey, China just (so it claims) gene-edited human twins. I'm sure that will be fine too. It's not like playing around with things we don't fully understand would ever have any negative consequences.





*Edited to placate grammar nazis and get the conversation on the impending world-destroying plague. (See the definition for "cow")

[RoadKingLarry]

I can't imagine something really, really, really bad coming from this kind of hubris based *expletive deleted*ck up.
Not at all.
 

[MechAg94]

There was an Outer Limits episode where a professor gathered up a group of students to go on an "alien ship".  Turned out the ship wasn't alien, but from the future where everyone had died due gene manipulation.  They showed skeletons of people with wings and such.  I remember thinking there is no way everyone in the world would voluntarily do that.  I think episode was a 2 or 3 part and they didn't find out they were going to the future until the very end. 

[TommyGunn]

Recombinetics created a hornless cow by editing his genes. And ONLY those genes for horns. No other changes to him at all. .....

I always thought cows were a "her," not a "his."

Otoh.....
I'm hoping they can find Dino DNA  to  use.....     ....

[makattak]

I always thought cows were a "her," not a "his."

Otoh.....
I'm hoping they can find Dino DNA  to  use.....   ....

I'm doubting we will find dino DNA, but I would think Sabre-Tooth Tiger possible.*

That, also, should have no ill effects whatsoever.


*I've already read of scientists planning to use Mammoth DNA to implant a fetal one into a living elephant and get a live Mammoth. 

[Fly320s]

I always thought cows were a "her," not a "him."

Depends on the breed, I think.  I've seen plenty of female cattle with horns.

[MechAg94]

Depends on the breed, I think.  I've seen plenty of female cattle with horns.

I have seen plenty of bulls with horns also.  They often get them cut off.

[TommyGunn]

Depends on the breed, I think.  I've seen plenty of female cattle with horns.

" ... Hornless cow by editing his genes ...." was what I was refering to.  Maybe .... "it" was a transgendered cow. ??  ??

[makattak]

" ... Hornless cow by editing his genes ...." was what I was refering to.  Maybe .... "it" was a transgendered cow. ??  ??

Happy now, mein Herr?

[TommyGunn]

Happy now, mein Herr?

Well, ...if I knew whether or not it was actually a transgender cow, I might be.

[RoadKingLarry]

The generic use of the term "cow" is frequently used colloquially to refer to all cattle, bulls, cows, heifers, calves and steers in a given herd.

"Hey Dusty, how many cows you got on the south quarter?" rolls off the tongue a little easier than "Pardon me Buford, but can you tell me how man head of cattle you are pasturing on your south quarter section of range land?"
 
"Cowboys" don't just round up the cows, they also herd of the calves, steers, bulls and assorted mavericks.

[TommyGunn]

I usually just use definition #1 .... it's the most commonly used or understood one.  I sorta did like 2.1 though ....

[HankB]

I'm doubting we will find dino DNA, but I would think Sabre-Tooth Tiger possible.*

That, also, should have no ill effects whatsoever.


*I've already read of scientists planning to use Mammoth DNA to implant a fetal one into a living elephant and get a live Mammoth. 

Sabre-tooth tiger, mammoth, Irish elk, moa . . . lots of interesting possibilities for the hunter.

[230RN]

It took quite a few boiler explosions, deaths, and destruction before we finally figured out how to design boilers to be safe even to make 1000 psig steam at 550°F.

For a while there, it was cutting-edge technology.

It took quite a few deaths between Roentgen's discovery of X-rays and the building of atomic-powered submarines.

That's still cutting-edge technology.

Das Wissenschaft geht fort.

("Science marches on," if my 60-year old German is still adequate.)

Terry, 230RN

[charby]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polled_livestock

[Doggy Daddy]

("Science marches on," if my 60-year old German is still adequate.)

Terry, 230RN

You have a 60-year old German?  Don't you live on the second floor?  Where are you keeping a 60-year old German without a basement?  Is she, indeed, adequate?   Are lederhosen involved?

This was the wurst I could do.   

[Andiron]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polled_livestock

Edited:  Charby beat me to the punch on this one and I didn't notice.

[sumpnz]

You have a 60-year old German?  Don't you live on the second floor?  Where are you keeping a 60-year old German without a basement?  Is she, indeed, adequate?   Are lederhosen dirndls involved?

This was the wurst I could do.   

FTFY.  Herr wear lederhosen.  Damen wear dirndls.

[RoadKingLarry]

FTFY.  Herr wear lederhosen.  Damen wear dirndls.

You're such a sexist.

[Doggy Daddy]

FTFY.  Herr wear lederhosen.  Damen wear dirndls.

I think you mistook my worries.  I was concerned that Terry might be "experimenting" with the lederhosen.  Consider them European chaps...

[230RN]

I think the plural of Herr is Herren.  I don't know what the singular of Damen is.  I'll have to ask my 60 year old german.

There's no way I would wear anything impermeable like lederhosen, except for raincoats and the like.  ("Leder" = "leather".)  I would prefer that any stenches generated by me dissipate quickly to the four winds.

Seems to me that lederhosen would outgas for a significant portion of forever, thereby allowing the guilty party to be tracked down easily by his or her contrail regardless of the speed of the retreat.

Terry, 230RN

[MillCreek]

I think you mistook my worries.  I was concerned that Terry might be "experimenting" with the lederhosen.  Consider them European chaps...

So you are saying that Terry is wearing assless lederhosen?  That is my visual image of the day, thank you very much.

[Doggy Daddy]

So you are saying that Terry is wearing assless lederhosen?  That is my visual image of the day, thank you very much.

Only 5 am and my day is complete already!  Yer welcome.  Though given his last post above, it sounds like he might prefer yogahosen.

[230RN]

I thought all "chaps" (chaparrels) were assless, and were for protecting the front of the legs from nasty brush and stuff, especially while on horseback and while "throwing" a calf or cow for branding.

Thus:





As far as I know, they have nothing to do with lederhosen except they're both leather.

Whether the ass was exposed would have depended on whether one wore one's jeans under the chaps or not.

I'm guessing the homoerotic aspect of chaps came, not because they're inherently assless, but because some folks either didn't wear jeans under them or cut the ass out of the jeans for... "advertising purposes?"

Terry

FUN:

The cowpoke's three Rs:  riding, roping, and wrangling.  Some days it works, some days it don't.  The horses always love it, though, since it makes them feel like predators for once.

https://youtu.be/0YdHtBqPLmc (22:55) < Yeah, long, but fun. The guy at 7:00ff shows how it's done.