THE 'SUPER MOUSE' THAT COULD CHANGE THE WORLD
It lives more, runs for hours, has more sex and eats more without gaining weight
American scientists have been astonished by the creation of a genetically modified "super mouse" with over-natural physical abilities, raising the prospect that the discovery may one day be used to transform and enhance the capabilities of humans.
The 'super mouse' can run up to six kilometres at a speed of 20 metres per minute for five hours or more without stopping.
The American researchers said that this was equivalent of a man cycling at speed up an Alpine mountain without a break. The report said that although it eats up to 60% more food than an ordinary mouse, the modified mouse does not put on weight.
The Independent reported that it also lives longer and enjoys an active sex life well into old age, being capable of breeding at three times the normal maximum age.
Scientists who created the super mice, they now have a breeding colony of 500, said that they were stunned by their abilities, especially given that the animals came about as a result of a standard genetic modification to a single metabolism gene, a gene which crucially is the same found in humans.
Professor Hanson said yesterday: "They are metabolically similar to Lance Armstrong biking up the Pyrenees. They utilise mainly fatty acids for energy and produce very little lactic acid. They are not eating or drinking and yet they can run for four or five hours. They are 10 times more active than ordinary mice in their home cage. They also live longer r11; up to three years of age r11; and are reproductively active for almost three years. In short, they are remarkable animals.
"On the downside, they eat twice as much as control mice, but they are half the weight, and are very aggressive. Why this is the case, we are not really sure."
The researchers emphasised that the aim of the research was not to prepare the way to enhance the genes of people in the short-term. However, they accepted that it may be possible to use the findings to develop new drugs or treatments that could one day be used to "enhance" the natural abilities of athletes, the British newspaper reported.
Professor Hanson added: "We humans have exactly the same gene. But this is not something that you'd do to a human. It's completely wrong. We do not think that this mouse model is an appropriate model for human gene therapy. It is currently not possible to introduce genes into the skeletal muscles of humans and it would not be ethical to even try."
The results of the research are being published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
