You all have most likely seen a calico cat, with their pretty mix of orange, black and white fur, but what makes them even more cool is that they could one day help humans to lose weight. What about these kittens make them so special that they could help? It comes from their unique chromosome structures.
Elizabeth Smith of the University of California and her colleagues explain that calico cats have an orange fur color gene on one of their X chromosomes and a black fur color gene on the other, so that the random silencing of one of the X's in each cell creates their distinctive patchwork coats. Changes in gene activity can be inherited without changing the DNA code, it could help answer other questions such as, how traits like obesity can be passed down through generations. The ultimate goal then is to figure out how many different kinds of genes can be turned on or off without altering the DNA sequence that gives them the calico patterns.
Body fat distribution has also been associated with X-chromosomes, so the possibility an help to control inherited tendencies toward obesity. The research isn't complete but scientists hope to be able to stop obesity.
What do you guys think of this research? I personally think its really cool, and I hope it works.
(below are some calico cats)
Replies
Great write up but you only replied once or twice!
Wow, this is really fascinating! I think if they can pull it off, it will help tremendously. Cats and other pets can really help in so many ways!
Wow never thought it would come down to cats to help save our country.
I think that it would be cool if it actually worked.
I think it would be really cool, for cats to be able to help humans lose weight. But would they have to kill cats, to do this.
This is a cool way to research things using cats. It is very interesting.
That's cool that the cats help with weight loss. I would never get a one though, just because I don't like cats.
I think tht this Is really cool
I think it's cool! I hope it works and hope they keep researching it so it can have the least amount of side effects possible.
I think this is really weird, but cool at the same time. It would be awesome if it actually worked because I think it could help a lot of people!
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