Fluorescent fish has modified genes

Taiwanesa company will go to start to commercialize species of fish genetically modified to shine alone.


The Jy Lin Company is the exporting greater of ornamental fish of that country and produced the first animals fluorescent of the Pterophyllum species scalare and Cichlasoma nigrofasciatus.

The animals are native Brazil and, this way, they receive the name from Acará flag and Acará zebra - but in its habitat, in the Amazonian basin, them they do not costumam to shine in the green color. The effect, that happens under the blue light, if of the one thanks to the transference of genes.


In partnership with the Sínica Academy and the Advice of Agriculture and Agency of It fishes, the company searched a way to become more attractive these ornamental fish.


The first step was to find animal inside with of course weakker colors of the group. These individuals had been crossed between itself, resulting in one second generation of clear colors. These younglings had been selected e, those with still more clear tones, had been separate and Cruzados. Thus, through consecutive crossings, the researchers had gotten fish with almost transparent skin.


After that, a method was used that transplanta a fluorescent protein in the ovários of the females. In 2008, the first younglings had been born after-modification - 96, in the total. After about 20 a thousand births, the researchers had obtained transgênicos fish that show a steady characteristic if they are capable to pass the traces for future generations. Two authentications prove that the transference of the genes functioned.

These are the first fluorescent fish of the Cichlidae family in the world; according to information of Reuters, after the certification for the sales, each individual will cost US$ 30.