In South Korea, scientists have successfully cloned four beagles that glow red under ultraviolet light. During the day, the beagles appear normal, although their nails and abdomen are a red color. When placed under ultraviolet light, the beagle glows like a ruby.
The scientist believe that by successfully inserting genes with a specific trait (glowing) they are proving that this can be used as a platform to treat disease.
The puppies are all named “Ruppy”–a combination of “ruby” and “puppy”–and were made by inserting fluorescent genes into the skin cells of a beagle, placing them into an egg, and implanting them into the womb of a surrogate mother dog (a local mixed breed).
A South Korean scientist cloned glowing cats in 2007, and scientists in Japan, Europe, and the U.S. have cloned fluorescent mice and pigs.