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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 19/05/2013 15:42, spike wrote:<br>
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<p class="MsoNormal">My idea is to try to use genetic
engineering to make the cockroach more attractive. We do the
gene sequencing, see if we can figure out what makes a bee’s
wings transparent and what makes for those yellow and black
stripes, then see if we can gene-splice those sequences and
create a cockroach that looks like a huge bee. Or failing
that, see if we can get them to at least have colorful wings
like a butterfly, something other than that ugly shit-brown
they now have. Then perhaps we can get people to grudgingly
accept them and stop using so much pesticide, which would
reduce costs and perhaps remove a possible factor in honeybee
decline. If we can make sheep that glow in the dark, we
should be able to make prettier cockroaches.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Have we any gene-splicing hipsters who can
suggest a way to do this?<br>
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<br>
Some people are trying using ordinary breeding:<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.roachforum.com/index.php?showtopic=4329">http://www.roachforum.com/index.php?showtopic=4329</a><br>
and enthusiasts are of course happy to point out all the existing
patterns:<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.angelfire.com/oh2/Roaches/">http://www.angelfire.com/oh2/Roaches/</a><br>
<br>
But I agree we can do much better! As far a glance at the web
suggests, there has not been a deep study of color or patterning
genetics, but there is plenty about their fairly complex metabolism
(they make use of symbiotic bacteria to act as an extra, rapidly
evolving, liver). But insects are insects, so we should be able to
move some genetic networks and see what happens.<br>
<br>
The simplest is of course just colorant genes like green fluorescent
protein or pigments like carotenids, pterins . I think genes for
these have been characterised. The real trick would be to transfer
structural color: the right patterning of chitin layers can produce
the amazing iridiscent colors found in beetles, bugs and
butterflies.<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0064082">http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0064082</a><br>
Unfortunately nobody seems to have characterized the genes
controlling this yet. Once we get them, I suspect they can be
copied.<br>
<br>
One area where we do have genes is beetle horns. Maybe giving the
cockroaches some impressive horns might improve their charisma?
Since at least Madagascar hissing cockroaches got pronotal horns we
should be able to transfer the scarab beetle horn control <br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1525-142X.2010.00422.x/abstract;jsessionid=E34B2351A3B991F74EC9143CE2C67757.d03t04">http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1525-142X.2010.00422.x/abstract;jsessionid=E34B2351A3B991F74EC9143CE2C67757.d03t04</a><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wdev.81/abstract">http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wdev.81/abstract</a><br>
<br>
Beyond that, butterfly wing scale colour is of course the holy
grail:<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://euplotes.biology.uiowa.edu/web/IBS593/week2/Beldade-butterfly.pdf">http://euplotes.biology.uiowa.edu/web/IBS593/week2/Beldade-butterfly.pdf</a><br>
<br>
It is a bit tricky to control development well, but cockroaches are
likely perfect candidates. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Anders Sandberg,
Future of Humanity Institute
Oxford Martin School
Faculty of Philosophy
Oxford University </pre>
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