[Next-Generation Sequencing Book]
  • [Photo] J.W. Bizzaro • July 25, 2001
    ```On the timescale of 50-100 years... you might conceivably be able to alter the DNA of a chicken, say, to reconstruct something that looks more like a dinosaur,' David Stern, an evolutionary biologist at Princeton University told the BBC.

    ``The speculation may be justified because the current explosion of information about the genetic make-up of various creatures, plants and organisms has made it clear just how many modern genes are closely related or even identical to those of long extinct life forms.

    ``Moving from this understanding to actually designing a prototype ancient creature is, however, a huge leap.

    ```You can imagine that if we have some understanding of how the same genes are used in, say, a chicken and a lizard to generate the differences between those two species, then we can imagine trying to reconstruct something that looks more like a dinosaur.

    ```You would have to change the way that those genes are used during development to, say, make the bones larger, or longer, or shorter,' David Stern explained.

    ```What we're really seeking is a very basic understanding of how these genes operate during development in a very wide range of organisms,' he said.''

    Full story:
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_1446000/1446706.stm

    Reference by Slashdot.org.

Discussion forums: BBC News: Jurassic Chicken `50-100 Years Off'

Expanded view | Monitor forum | Save place

Start a new thread:

You have to be logged in to post a reply.

© 1998-2025 Scilico, LLC. All rights reserved.