The most newly created fluorescent fish are angelfish - the biggest and brightest transgenic glowing fish in the world so far.Taiwan's largest exporter of ornamental fish, the Jy Lin Company, says it has effectively inserted a fluorescent protein gene into the reproductive organs of the fish. It allows them to produce glowing offspring.
The company says its new breed of fish took more than three years and about 10 million Taiwan dollars to develop because the reproductive cycles of medium-sized fish are harder to control than their small-sized counterparts.
“For species like these, we deployed the technique of reproductive organ electroporation. We insert fluorescent genes into the reproductive organs and leave the male and female fish to reproduce on their own, and then they could give birth to fluorescent babies", said Lin Yu-ho, the developer.
Electroporation is a method whereby an electrical pulse is used to create passages through cell walls for the transplantation of foreign molecules - in this case the fluorescent protein gene.
Although the medium-sized fluorescent fish will not be commercially obtainable until it passes the standards set by genetically modified organism (GMO) laws - to ensure it poses no damage to the natural environment - the angelfish has already fascinated wide attention and won Taiwan's major biotechnological awards. Once they become saleable, Lin hopes to sell the angelfish at the wholesale price of USD$30 per fish.
