Genetic engineering could be yielding positive results in the future, especially in terms of health, as scientists work to eliminate gene-related sicknesses and conditions. For instance, diabetes has been eliminated in this particular ‘supermouse’ that was engineered in a lab, where it enables the mouse in question to gain weight without running the risk of developing type-2 diabetes through the removal of fat cells. The method used by Auwerx and his colleagues involved a targeted virus that will ‘knock out’ the gene which creates a protein known as nuclear receptor corepressor 1 (NCoR1) in the muscle of mice. Without the presence of NCoR1, mitochondria, the ‘engine’ of cells, will continue working at full speed ahead. Auwerx says, “Effectively, the mice go further, faster, on the same amount of gas.”
Sounds like supermice to me, don’t you think so? After all, treated treated mice ran an average of 1600 metres in 2 hours, whereas their untreated brethren achieved just half that amount. Having said that, hopefully we won’t have any athlete who is curious about this development and target their NCoR1 protein through dubious means in an attempt to gain muscles and stamina.
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