The First Gene-Edited Squid in History Is a Biological Breakthrough (medium.com) 48
Squid are among the smartest ocean dwellers. Along with other ink-squirting cephalopods like octopuses and cuttlefish, squid boast the largest brains of all invertebrates. They also have an incredibly complex nervous system capable of instantaneously camouflaging their bodies and communicating with each other using various signals. From a report: Scientists have long marveled at these sophisticated behaviors and have tried to understand why these tentacled creatures are so intelligent. Gene editing may be able to help researchers unravel the mysteries of the cephalopod brain. But until now, it's been too hard to do -- in part because cephalopod embryos are protected by a hard outer layer that makes manipulating them difficult. Recently, a group of marine scientists managed to engineer the first genetically altered squid using the DNA editing tool CRISPR. In addition to being a big milestone in biology, the advance has potential implications for human health: Because of their big brains, cephalopods are used to study neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
The ability to edit the genes of these animals could help scientists study the genes involved in learning and memory as well as specific cephalopod behaviors. "I think you're going to see a huge jump in the use of these [gene-edited] organisms by neurobiologists," Joshua Rosenthal, PhD, a senior scientist at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, and a key architect of the first genetically engineered squid, tells OneZero. Rosenthal and his colleagues used CRISPR to snip out a gene responsible for the coloring of the squid's skin. As a result, the edited squid were transparent instead of having their usual reddish spots. The results were published July 30 in the journal Current Biology. But why bother to create a colorless squid? Rosenthal says the pigmentation gene was a logical starting place for experimentation. "If you see the pigmentation go away, it's easy to see if the gene editing is working," he explains. Being able to tinker with cephalopod DNA will allow scientists to better study what their individual genes do at a very basic level. The accomplishment wasn't easy. Scientists have successfully made gene-edited mice, monkeys, and other research animals to help them study a range of behaviors and medical conditions. But until now, they hadn't been successful at manipulating the genes of cephalopods.
The ability to edit the genes of these animals could help scientists study the genes involved in learning and memory as well as specific cephalopod behaviors. "I think you're going to see a huge jump in the use of these [gene-edited] organisms by neurobiologists," Joshua Rosenthal, PhD, a senior scientist at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, and a key architect of the first genetically engineered squid, tells OneZero. Rosenthal and his colleagues used CRISPR to snip out a gene responsible for the coloring of the squid's skin. As a result, the edited squid were transparent instead of having their usual reddish spots. The results were published July 30 in the journal Current Biology. But why bother to create a colorless squid? Rosenthal says the pigmentation gene was a logical starting place for experimentation. "If you see the pigmentation go away, it's easy to see if the gene editing is working," he explains. Being able to tinker with cephalopod DNA will allow scientists to better study what their individual genes do at a very basic level. The accomplishment wasn't easy. Scientists have successfully made gene-edited mice, monkeys, and other research animals to help them study a range of behaviors and medical conditions. But until now, they hadn't been successful at manipulating the genes of cephalopods.
I, for one... (Score:4, Insightful)
I, for one, welcome our new gene-edited cephalapod overlords.
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(((Joshua Rosenthal))), PhD, a senior scientist at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts
Meanwhile, you people think you can solve the carbon problem by sticking a wind turbine into every square meter of German terrain. Good luck with that.
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Yeah, that's what the Neanderthal's said:
I, for one, welcome our new gene-edited creative overlords.
Look what it got them.
Re:I, for one... (Score:5, Funny)
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I just hope they didn't get the squid.conf wrong.
I'm sure they'll patch it in the beta release.
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astounding intelligence (Score:2)
just think what squids and octopuses could do if they were altered to have long lifespan. Best say it now, "I for one welcome our 8 or 10 appendaged intelligent overlords"
Re: astounding intelligence (Score:1)
They'd get really fucking big, and possibly even eat people dumber than them (not mentioning any names).
Do I win a prize??
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its not the long life - that would help - its the dying after reproducing. if they are smart, and could survive after reproduction enough to teach their young...
Also, they are really good in near microgravity environments. Space Squid!
Mandatory Post (Score:1)
I for one welcome our new genetically modified squid overlords.
Re: (Score:1)
Son of a...
FUCK 2020... really (Score:2)
Well, we had a good run.
thanks SCIENCE!
Genetically modified squid? (Score:2)
What could go wrong? [xkcd.com]
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Indeed, the latest season of Twilight Zone (Season 2) covers just this. Watch the episode entitled "8".
Evolution? (Score:2)
What if the natural sequence of evolution is...
single cell
multiple cells
complex life
intelligent life
intelligent life alters genes from other types of life and makes them superior
profit
Re:Evolution? (Score:5, Interesting)
Let me correct that for you:
single cell
multiple cells
complex life
intelligent life
intelligent life alters genes from other types of life and makes them superior
fermi paradox solved
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Transparent Squid with huge brains? (Score:2)
I can't think of anything scarier and more likely to escape.
The only thing I have to say about the whole thing is that I for one, welcome our new invisible cephalopod overlords.
Sammy gonna get ate (Score:2)
Re:Sammy gonna get ate (Score:4, Funny)
I was thinking more of "Squidbillies".
And in the wrong hands (Score:2)
someone will develop a squid army that takes over the world
Origin of Cthulu (Score:2)
Does the world really need a GMO squid?
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“Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl (Score:3)
"...hidden in distant wastes and dark places all over the world until the time when the great priest Cthulhu, from his dark house in the mighty city of R'lyeh under the waters, should rise and bring the earth again beneath his sway.
Welcome Sheena 5 (Score:2)
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Poor, poor Sheena
she did manage to usher a new era for squidkind, however.
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Afraid? (Score:2)
You wussies .. just gmo yourself with more powers than the squid.
Sea life (Score:2)
No more dots and transparent? ... Every jellyfish in the sea will try to fuck with it.
In 2020?? (Score:2)
We have had:
Zombie Fires
Murder Hornets
Meth Gators
Riots
Never ending covid
Locusts
Shark eating birds
Tiger King
Famine
Pestilence
War
Death
I think these scientist need to take a break from reviving microbes from 100 million years ago or gene editing mutant monsters for at least 24 months
https://news.yahoo.com/scienti... [yahoo.com]
Soon... (Score:2)
Sharks with fricken laser beams (Score:1)
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Actually the big development will be a virtual robotic human cell. That will function in the ways defined by it's genetic program, that they can poke and prod and infect and treat and feed and starve and poison, in every way imaginable. Now that would be a major breakthrough and a step on the way to a virtual human in digital form to use for non-harmful testing, every possible interaction built in based upon genetic programming. Never leaves the inside of it's computer memory, purely virtual. They could pun
So Many Big Factual Errors (Score:4, Informative)
Squid do not have tenticals -- that would be octopi. They do not have large brains, either... They have the largest neurons, which make them very handy for studying because they are so large that you can see them with the naked eye. They do not have large or very intelligent brains. An octopus, however, does and is.
An octopus actual has what is more like 9 inter-connected brains, one in each arm and a central one. However, each arm more or less appears to operate, in coordination with, but independently of the others. For example, if one arm is smashed with a hammer, it does not hinder the effective operation of any of the others. That is not the case with any vertebrate.
Squid are, in fact, one of the dumber species in the oceans.
--Matthew
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Squid are cephalopods in the superorder Decapodiformes with elongated bodies, large eyes, eight arms and two tentacles.
They are among the most intelligent of invertebrates, with groups of Humboldt squid having been observed hunting cooperatively.
Is the plural of octopus ocpoti? [wikipedia.org]
The octopus (plural octopuses) is a soft-bodied, eight-limbed mollusc of the order Octopoda...
No, it's octopuses.
Also, it is spelled tentacles
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Is the plural of octopus ocpoti?
The octopus (plural octopuses) is a soft-bodied, eight-limbed mollusc of the order Octopoda...
No, it's octopuses.
Also, it is spelled tentacles
I like Wikipedia a lot, but it's not a dictionary. The dictionary says that both octopuses and octopi are acceptable plurals. You just failed to internet.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
https://www.lexico.com/definit... [lexico.com]
The reason people think Octopi is correct is the assumption that Octopus, with the suffix -us, is assumed to be second declension latin which would make Octopi correct. People consider it third declension because Octopus was borrowed from Greek, which in Greek would actually make Octopodes correct.
Octopi is one of those words that may end up being considered acceptable because eventually people use it so it enters standard lexicon, but based s
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A Debt to Pay (Score:1)
Hey humans! (Score:2)
At least fuck with your OWN species!
Instead of ruining others too!
Sincerely,
Every austainable Lifeform on Earth. (Excludes humans, other pathogens, and explosive crystals by some definitions.)
What has .... (Score:1)
Transparent?? (Score:2)
Good luck counting the resulting offspring... including the one with the genetic defect that made it grow to a hundred feet in length. That one will make the oceans safe once again for all sea creatures
"Use skin color to talk" Scientists: *remove* (Score:1)
Squid: "I have no mouth but I must scream"