Re: Clone

[Dinosaur Interplanetary Gazette <dinosaur@dinosaur.org>]

There is some serious confusion in the public mind between CLONING and GENETIC
ENGINEERING.

Put very simplistically:

Cloning is simply an alternative form of fertilization.

Genetic Engineering involves actual tinkering with the gene sequences.

The inherent dangers (while they might exist) of cloning are minimal compared to
the potential dangers of genetic alterations.

It would certainly be helpful in any conversation involving these sciences if
the methodology being criticized was kept rather clear.

The Jurassic Park (ficitional) scenario involves a combination of both Cloning
and Genetic Engineering: portions of the gene sequences had to be replaced
through engineering (and the lysine dependency was added) because it was
impossible to create a gene sequence identical to the "original" because the DNA
was so severely damaged and incomplete.

ES

Natasha Ramsey wrote:

> This technology may not be used to bring back dinos, but if it is used
> without caution it could cause some serious problems.  What? I do not really
> know.  I DO know that tampering with nature can be dangerous.  The
> characters in Jurassic Park thought they had control over everything, and
> look what went wrong!  It's just an example.  Being able to bring back
> animals that humans caused to go extinct would be great, as long as it is
> done with caution.  Naturally extinct animals should be left alone (that was
> God's choice).  Just my 2.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jeffrey Martz" <jeffmartz@earthlink.net>
> To: "The Dinosaur Mailing List" <dinosaur@usc.edu>
> Sent: Monday, October 09, 2000 4:49 PM
> Subject: Re: Clone
>
> >
> >     Considering that Jurassic Park is fiction and never really happened,
> > genetic tinkering with bovines is hardly "Jurassic Park all over again".
> It
> > is probably worth mentioning that the only connection that cloning or any
> > kind of genetic engineering has to dinosaur science at this time is as a
> > plot device in a couple popular books and movies with dinosaurs in them.
> > This thread was overextended from the start and has nothing to do with
> > dinosaurs besides incorporating the word "Jurassic".  Let it slip into a
> > lysine deficient coma and die.
> >     By the way, does anyone know how to covert Euros into dollars?
> >     Moooo.
> >
> > LNJ
> > *****************************************************************
> > It is our duty to make the best of our misfortunes and not to suffer
> passion
> > to interfere withour interest and the public good.
> > -George Washington
> >
> > It is your business when the wall next door catches fire.
> > -Horace
> > *****************************************************************
> > Jeffrey W. Martz
> > Graduate student, Department of Geosciences, Texas Tech University
> > 3002 4th St., Apt. C26
> > Lubbock, TX 79415
> > (806) 747-7910
> > http://illustrations.homestead.com/Illustration.html
> >
> >

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