cross species gene transfers

[Caniscus lupusco]

what would the genetical impacts of implanting the genes from a animal (eg the gene that gives cats excellent vison at night) in a human, would the gene even be accepted, or would it have serious health risks?

[Psycho]

There isn't one gene that changes eye sight, in a cat the whole structure of the eye is different and the way they perceive the world is also thought to be different will lesser colour vision as well as the fact that me writing this would be useless as you would be so long sighted you wouldn't be able to read it.

[will]

There isn't one gene that changes eye sight, in a cat the whole structure of the eye is different and the way they perceive the world is also thought to be different will lesser colour vision as well as the fact that me writing this would be useless as you would be so long sighted you wouldn't be able to read it.

 

So would that mean that you would be able to incorporate parts of the gene from a cat eye with one from a human eye to make a new type of eye?

Edited November 7, 2011 by will

[Psycho]

So would that mean that you would be able to incorporate parts of the gene from a cat eye with one from a human eye to make a new type of eye?

Yeah why not...

 

I mean assuming you don't have an immune system, but who wants to be alive anyway.

[ascendancy]

Yeah why not...

 

I mean assuming you don't have an immune system, but who wants to be alive anyway.

 

Your comment assumes that the human body would reject this new combination of alleles. Assuming the genes were properly spliced and added to eye tissue through some means, carrying recombinant dna, how what would cause the body reject the new cells? How was this addressed when recombinant dna was exploited to create other creatures, such as glowing pigs?

[CharonY]

In order to change something as complex as an eye massive changes into a large number of genes involved in developmental functions are necessary. Considering that every gene is basically involved in a number of functions (to put it simple) each change would result in a boatload of other, unforeseeable changes. Expressing a simple, not very interactive gene (e.g. the gene for GFP) is relative trivial. Something that changes metabolic or developmental functions usually result in very complex changes to the organism and more often than not are very detrimental to the carrier.