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Editorial: Air Boats and the Golden Rule
February 2nd, 2004

Editorial: A Year of Opportunity
January 24th, 2004

Editorial: Sports on TV
January 15th, 2004

Editorial: Mad Cow Disease in the US
December 26th, 2003

Editorial: Jeb`s Water War
November 25th, 2003

Editorial: Citizen Input Needed
October 27th, 2003

Editorial: Congrats to Our Commission, Now We Must Help
October 17th, 2003

Editorial: Remember Owens Valley
September 29th, 2003

Editorial: Gold Plating Reality, Reconstruction Chic
September 21st, 2003

Editorial: The Responsiblities of a Journalist
August 27th, 2003

Editorial: A Fable: The Great Guano Concord
July 24th, 2003

Editorial: Music for Children
May 26th, 2003

Editorial: Speak Out
May 15th, 2003

Editorial: Parking: Our Biggest Problem?
May 2nd, 2003

Editorial: Vote and Vote Well
April 22nd, 2003

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Of Voles and Men

Of Voles and Men

Editorial

The journal Nature, and subsequently the Gainesville Sun, have reported that genetic engineer Larry Young at Emory University has succeeded in transforming males of the eastern vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus) from being promiscuous to being monogamous.


The prairie vole (Microtus orchogaster) is a rare mammal species in that the males are monogamous. The gene responsible for vole monogamy was isolated, multiplied, attached to a virus and injected into the brains of young eastern voles.


As a result, eleven of eleven genetically altered young voles that received the genes from the prairie voles were tested and found to be monogamous. Eastern voles that did not receive the genes (the control group) acted promiscuously.


Since a rare subspecies of the eastern vole was found near Cedar Key, as reported in the last issue of Cedar Key News, one might wonder about the habits of our local voles. More likely, one might wonder what this has to with anyone except the voles.


Consider, however, that many mammal species share identical genes for fundamental components such as hormones and enzymes. Humans and chimpanzees share about ninety-eight percent of the same genes. (What a difference two percent can make.)


Heart disease victims accept transplants of pig heart valves to save their lives. There may come a day when we can avoid Alzheimer's Disease or diabetes with the injection of genes into our brain or pancreas. This editorial is not about voles. It is about what science can do to fight and cure diseases.

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