2011 National DNA Day Online Chatroom Transcript
This is just one question from an archive of the National DNA Day Moderated Chat held in April 2011. The NHGRI Director and many genomics experts from across NHGRI took questions from students, teachers and the general public on topics ranging from basic genomic research, to the genetic basis of disease, to ethical questions about genetic privacy.
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Can a cloned rat have cancer if the original rat did not have cancer?
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Les G. Biesecker, M.D.:
I currently direct a clinical and molecular genetic research program of inherited diseases
What a cool question - this gets to the heart of what cancer is.
Cancer is a genetic disease - but genetic does not necessarily mean inherited. Cancer can be inherited - there are rare forms of some types of cancer that are caused by a mutated gene that is passed from parent to child. So, if your imaginary rat had cancer because of an inherited gene, then that rat's clone would have a very good chance of having it also.
But most cancer is actually caused by genetic changes that occur after birth, and are not inherited. So, for your imaginary rat, if the cell(s) that were used to clone the rat happened to have that acquired change, then the clone would have a good chance of having the cancer. If the cell used to clone the rat did not have the change, then that cloned rat would have the same chance as any other rat.
So, cancer can be caused by inherited genetic changes or acquired genetic changes. A lot of important research is being done right now to understand these changes and use that information to find cures.
Thanks again for the question and I hope to hear that you land in a cancer laboratory as a research trainee! |
| Williamsburg Middle School in VA (7th grade student) |
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