Mighty mouse gene prevents obesity

RESEARCHERS have unveiled genetically engineered mice that can run farther and longer than their naturally bred brethren, bringing the ‘genetic doping’ of elite athletes a small step closer to reality.

The creation of the so-called marathon mice, announced in San Francisco, follows earlier genetic engineering work that created ‘Schwarzenegger mice’, rodents that bulked up when injected with muscle-building genes.

The engineered mice racing on treadmills are bound to add to the furore over performance-enhancing substances.