Scripps Scientists Achieve Transgenic Sea Urchin Breakthrough

Scientists at UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography have successfully created the first transgenic sea urchins, which glow under fluorescent light due to the insertion of jellyfish DNA. This breakthrough allows for easier genetic modification and study of sea urchins, potentially transforming them into a widely accessible model organism for research in neurobiology, developmental biology, and toxicology. The goal is to make these genetically modified urchins available to researchers globally, similar to how transgenic mice and fruit flies are used in labs.