See Alba, the
Green Fluorescent Bunny!
Recently artist Eduardo Kac commissioned some French genetic researchers to splice a rabbit's genes with those of a glowing jellyfish. Alba was born in February and glows Fluorescent Green under a special light. Mr. Kac has dubbed this project "GFP Bunny" for Green Fluorescent Protein Bunny. And he has dubbed this form of "art" as transgenetic art and of course calls himself a transgenetic artist. Mr. Kac says "Alba highlights the fact that transgenic animals are regular creatures that are as much part of social life as any other life form," and that he commissioned this work to spark debate of his work as a valid art form.
Alba was created using a process called zygote microinjection. This process involves taking the desired gene from the original species and injecting it into a fertilized egg of the target species. The jellyfish gene used for this project came from the jellyfish Aequorea victoria and was enhanced to make it twice as powerful. This enhanced gene is called EGFG (Enhanced Genetic Fluorescent Gene).
And of course this has raised some concerns among many especially the Animal Rights Activists, who have called the project needless and abusive. Scientist have agreed that the project was "silly", but thought it was also very interesting.
sources: Ars Technica and ABC News