Cloned monkeys shed light on circadian disorders

The first five monkey clones made from a gene-edited parent with biological rhythm problems - known as circadian rhythms - were born during the last six months in Shanghai. Subsequent observations could result in help for humans with similar disorders.

The five clones were created from the fibroblasts of an adult macaque whose DNA had been edited to remove a gene, BMAL1, that helps regulate circadian rhythms. Researchers wanted to see if disorders showed up prominently in cloned offspring that lacked the regulation.

Mu-ming Poo, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the director of its Institute of Neuroscience in Shanghai, said the studies showed that China had mastered the capability of producing a population of customized gene-edited macaques with uniform genetic background that would advance biomedical research and the promote the discovery of new drugs.