Download Chinese company edits pig DNA, develops piglets that will stay pet

Chinese company edits pig DNA,
develops piglets that will stay petsized
By Los Angeles Times, adapted by Newsela staff on 10.30.15
Word Count 816
A BGI gene-edited micro pig (left) stands next to some Bama mini pigs that are conventionally used for
scientific research. Photo: Courtesy of Alison Van Eenennaam
BEIJING, China — Have you been longing for a “teacup” pig but worried that
your pet might grow as big as your bathtub?
A Chinese company says it now has the answer: a swine that would weigh no
more than about 33 pounds fully grown. The company, called BGI, created the
pigs by changing their DNA, which contains the instructions for how each cell in
the body works. DNA is passed on from parents to children.
Pint-Sized Porkers
BGI recently announced that it intends to start selling the miniature pigs for
$1,600. The company originally created them to study human diseases.
The pigs made a splash late last month when BGI showed them at the
Shenzhen International Biotech Leaders Summit in China. The pint-size porkers
were created through a process known as gene editing. Scientists “edited,” or
changed, the swine’s DNA, turning off a gene so that cells do not get a signal to
grow.
Several celebrities have become known for their pet pigs. Miley Cyrus’ Bubba
Sue and Paris Hilton’s Princess Piglette became so big they are hard to hold.
George Clooney’s 18-year companion, Max, grew to 250 pounds before he died
in 2006.
Pets, Not Pork
However, many people abandon pet pigs that grow too large. Animal breeders
and experts say that a 33-pound pig could reduce this problem. Curt Mills
works with the Southern California Association for Miniature Pot-Bellied Pigs. He
says four shelters for the animals in California are full, with about 150 pigs
looking for homes.
“Pigs are good pets, but a lot of issue is the size,” said Patty Morrisroe, a pig
breeder in Dallas, Oregon. She says she has produced pigs that can be around
39 pounds fully grown. But only about 20 piglets are born each year, and she
charges $2,500 to $5,500 for each one.
“If you could immediately make a small pig, it would be very cool, but there are
still a lot of questions,” she said.
Staying In China, For Now
It is not known whether BGI intends to offer its pigs for sale outside China. If
Americans wanted them, the United States government would have to decide
whether they could be imported.
Alison Van Eenennaam visited BGI about three months ago and saw the micro
pigs. She is a biotechnology expert at the University of California, Davis. Van
Eenennaam said the fact that the company is advertising them as pets, not
pork, reflects another problem. Many people around the world are opposed to
using gene-edited, or bioengeneered, animals for food and other more serious
purposes.
Gene editing is a powerful technology, she said. It can produce animals that
can resist disease. But worldwide, she said, no genetically changed animal has
been approved to eat. Only a few medical products from genetically altered
animals have even been allowed to be used to help humans. That, she believes,
is making companies wary of spending money to develop the technology.
GloFish Are Friends, Not Food
People accept bioengineered pets, though, much more easily. A florescent fish,
called GloFish, has been popular for a number of years in the United States. The
fish were created by Singaporean researchers who inserted jellyfish and sea
anemone genes into zebrafish eggs.
“People are happy to have them in their aquarium," Van Eenennaam said. "But
it’s when it’s on their dinner plate that they have a different attitude."
A company called AquaBounty has been seeking for more than 20 years to win
FDA approval to bring a genetically modified fast-growing salmon to
supermarkets. The FDA stands for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is
the government agency in charge of making rules for food and medicines in the
United States.
What Happened To Their DNA?
However, the technique used by BGI to create its micro pigs is different than the
one used for the GloFish. And it could be a new problem if BGI wanted to bring
the pigs to the United States.
Instead of adding DNA, the micro pig was made by removing a piece of its
DNA, said Max Rothschild. He is an agriculture professor at Iowa State
University.
Another question is how far gene editing should go.
Controversial Gene Editing
For several years, scientists have changed genes in adult human cells to make
them resist disease. But this spring, a team of Chinese researchers announced
that they had used gene editing to alter DNA in human embryos. They were
trying to repair a defect that causes a blood condition that can sometimes be
fatal.
Yong Li works for BGI. He said that any profits from BGI’s pet micro pigs would
be put into medical research. BGI believes it can use gene-editing not just to
control the size of pet pigs but also to give consumers a choice of pet-pig
colors.
“We plan to take orders from customers now,” he said, “and see what the scale
of the demand is.”
Quiz
1
2
3
Which statement would be MOST important to include in a summary of the article?
(A)
However, the technique used by BGI to create its micro pigs is
different than the one used for the GloFish.
(B)
Instead of adding DNA, the micro pig was made by removing a
piece of its DNA, said Max Rothschild.
(C)
The pint-size porkers were created through a process known as
gene editing.
(D)
Many people around the world are opposed to using gene-edited,
or bioengeneered, animals for food and other more serious
purposes.
Which of the following answer choices describes two MAIN ideas in the article?
(A)
BGI created a miniature pig by breeding two small pigs.
(B)
BGI created a miniature pig by removing a piece of pig DNA.
(C)
BGI created a miniature pig to help celebrities have pigs as pets.
(D)
BGI created a miniature pig to lower the number of pigs found in
animal shelters.
Review the first paragraph of the section "Staying In China, For Now."
It is not known whether BGI intends to offer its pigs for sale
outside China. If Americans wanted them, the United States
government would have to decide whether they could be
imported.
Which selection from the paragraph helps explain the meaning of "imported"?
(A)
not known whether
(B)
sale outside China
(C)
intend to offer
(D)
would have to decide
4
Review the second paragraph of the section "Pint-Sized Porkers."
The pigs made a splash late last month when BGI showed
them at the Shenzhen International Biotech Leaders Summit
in China. The pint-size porkers were created through a
process known as gene editing. Scientists “edited,” or
changed, the swine’s DNA, turning off a gene so that cells do
not get a signal to grow.
Based on the section, what is another way of saying "gene editing"?
(A)
make a splash
(B)
changing DNA
(C)
studying diseases
(D)
signal to grow
Answer Key
1
2
3
Which statement would be MOST important to include in a summary of the article?
(A)
However, the technique used by BGI to create its micro pigs is
different than the one used for the GloFish.
(B)
Instead of adding DNA, the micro pig was made by removing a
piece of its DNA, said Max Rothschild.
(C)
The pint-size porkers were created through a process known
as gene editing.
(D)
Many people around the world are opposed to using gene-edited,
or bioengeneered, animals for food and other more serious
purposes.
Which of the following answer choices describes two MAIN ideas in the article?
(A)
BGI created a miniature pig by breeding two small pigs.
(B)
BGI created a miniature pig by removing a piece of pig DNA.
(C)
BGI created a miniature pig to help celebrities have pigs as pets.
(D)
BGI created a miniature pig to lower the number of pigs found in
animal shelters.
Review the first paragraph of the section "Staying In China, For Now."
It is not known whether BGI intends to offer its pigs for sale
outside China. If Americans wanted them, the United States
government would have to decide whether they could be
imported.
Which selection from the paragraph helps explain the meaning of "imported"?
(A)
not known whether
(B)
sale outside China
(C)
intend to offer
(D)
would have to decide
4
Review the second paragraph of the section "Pint-Sized Porkers."
The pigs made a splash late last month when BGI showed
them at the Shenzhen International Biotech Leaders Summit
in China. The pint-size porkers were created through a
process known as gene editing. Scientists “edited,” or
changed, the swine’s DNA, turning off a gene so that cells do
not get a signal to grow.
Based on the section, what is another way of saying "gene editing"?
(A)
make a splash
(B)
changing DNA
(C)
studying diseases
(D)
signal to grow