One of the three transgenic "glow-in the dark" pigs born back in 2006 in China's Northeast Agricultural University in Harbin has given birth to fluorescent piglets, indicating the "technology to breed transgenic pigs via cell nuclear transfer is mature", according to professor Liu Zhonghua.

The original trio of transgenic porkers was produced by injecting genetic material from jellyfish into their mother's womb. Their mouths, trotters and tongues glowed green under under ultraviolet light - a characteristic shared by two of the offspring of one which was mated with an ordinary pig. The nine remaining members of the litter do not as yet show fluorescent tendencies.

Liu said: "This technology promises to breed excellent transgenic pigs and even raise special pigs to provide organs for human transplant operations in the future." ®

Related stories

• Koreans cook up glow-in-the-dark beagles (30 April 2009)
• Immortal Dr Who jellyfish poised to rule Earth (3 February 2009)
• Oz woman held hostage by pugnacious porker (24 September 2008)
• Chinese fire up glow-in-the-dark pig (29 December 2006)
• Boffins breed fluorescent pig (12 January 2006)