by Surriento
Cloning is not all the same exaggeration in TV dramas as it is in real life. As many learn in beginning biology, gene splicing is used to separate a segment of DNA containing desired traits. The separated segment is then reformed (in the case of cloning) into a cell to make recombinant DNA. The cells rapidly divide to form colonies of identical cells. But cloning has been an unstable method of genetic manipulation, with a success rate (in the case of Dolly, the first animal clone) of 1 to 277 attempts, and while the exact percentage varies from species to species, its almost always between 0.1-0.3%. Simply put, has a success rate of 1-3 cloned organisms in every 1000 attempts. But even should an organism be born, few live longer than a few days after they are born. Genetic manipulation does not guarantee an identical replica as many sci-fi's seems to so adamantly portray.
One example is CC, clone of Rainbow the cat. While bearing identical DNA, the two kitties differed in fur patterns, as well as a many other aspects: build, personality, preferences, and eating habits. While cloning does essentially ‘replicate’ an organism, many other factors, such as environment and personal experiences, also have a serious impact on its appearance and character. As CC and Rainbow show, genetically identical does not mean exactly the same. Clearly, cloning is still an imperfect science, and we have a lot left to learn.
