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Project in

Biotechnology

Submitted by:
Kristy Anne Impasta

Submitted to:
Ms. Honelyn Carado
“Dolly the Sheep”
Cloning is a set of processes that can be used to produce
genetically identical copies of any biological entity including
genes, cells, tissues, and even entire organisms. The copy is
known as the clone. A method used in the cloning of Dolly the
sheep was to make the cells “quiescent” by starving them in a
“minimal media”, causing them to stop dividing and lose their
differentiation. Quiescent is a state or period of inactivity or
dormancy. During this period, cells do not divide because
there is no need for rapid cell division.

Who is Dolly?
Dolly, a ewe, was the first mammal to have been successfully cloned from an adult cell. She was born on
July 5th, 1996. The sheep was originally code-named "6LL3". The name "Dolly" came from a suggestion
by the stockmen who helped with her birth, in honor of Dolly Parton, because it was a mammary cell that
was cloned.
Where was Dolly cloned?
She was cloned at the Roslin Institute in Midlothian, Scotland and lived there until her death.
Who were the scientists that cloned Dolly?
Dolly was cloned by Keith Campbell, Ian Wilmut, and colleagues at the Roslin Institute. Keith Campbell
provided fundamental insights into cell cycle control for the research that led to the birth of Dolly. Ian
Wilmut was the first to use the nuclear transfer of differentiated adult cells to generate a
mammalian clone, a Finn Dorset sheep named Dolly.
When was Dolly cloned?
On February 22, 1997.
The Process

How was Dolly cloned?


1. Cells taken from the udder of a Finn Dorset ewe are placed in a culture with very low
concentrations of nutrients. Thus starved, the cells stop dividing and switch off their active genes.
2. Meanwhile, an unfertilized egg cell is taken from a Scottish Blackface ewe. The nucleus (with its
DNA) is sucked out, leaving an empty egg cell containing all the cellular machinery necessary to
produce an embryo.
3. The two cells are placed next to each other and an electric pulse causes them to fuse together like
soap bubbles. A second pulse mimics the burst of energy at natural fertilization, jump-starting cell
division.
4. After about six days, the resulting embryo is implanted in the uterus of another Blackface ewe.
5. After a gestation period, the pregnant Blackface ewe gives birth to a Finn Dorset lamb, named
Dolly, that is, genetically, identical to the original donor.
From 277 cell fusions, 29 early embryos developed and were implanted into 13 surrogate
mothers. But only one pregnancy went to full term, and the 6.6 kg Finn Dorset lamb 6LLS (alias Dolly)
was born after 148 days. When Dolly was one year old, analysis of her DNA showed that her telomeres
were shorter than would be expected for a normal sheep of the same age. Telomeres are ‘caps’ on the
ends of DNA molecules that protect the DNA from damage. As an animal or person ages, their telomeres
become progressively shorter, exposing the DNA to more damage. It’s thought that Dolly had shorter
telomeres were because her DNA came from an adult sheep and the telomeres had not been fully renewed
during her development. This could have meant that Dolly was ‘older’ than her actual age. However,
extensive health screens on Dolly at the time did not find any conditions which could be directly related
to premature or accelerated aging. Dolly spent her life at The Roslin Institute and, apart from the
occasional media appearance, led a normal life with the other sheep at the Institute. Over the years Dolly
had a total of six lambs with a Welsh Mountain ram called David. Their first lamb, Bonnie, was born in
April 1998, twins Sally and Rosie were born the following year and triplets Lucy, Darcy and Cotton the
year after. After Dolly gave birth to her last lambs in September 2000, it was discovered that she had
become infected by a virus called Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRV), which causes lung cancer in sheep.
Other sheep at The Roslin Institute had also been infected with JSRV in the same outbreak. In 2001,
Dolly was diagnosed with arthritis after farm staff noticed her walking stiffly. This was successfully
treated with anti-inflammatory medication, although the cause of the arthritis was never discovered. Dolly
continued to have a normal quality of life until February 2003, when she developed a cough. A CT scan
showed tumors growing in her lungs and the decision was made to euthanize Dolly rather than risk her
suffering. Dolly was put to sleep on 14th February 2003, at the age of six.

Why Dolly was so important?

Dolly was important because she was the first mammal to be cloned from an animal cell. Her birth proved
that specialized cells could be used to create an exact copy of the animal they came from. This knowledge
changed what scientists thought was possible and opened up a lot of possibilities in biology and medicine,
including the development of personalized stem cells known as iPS cells.

Dolly was an important milestone, inspiring scientists to continue improving cloning technology as well
as to pursue new concepts in stem cell research. The endgame was never meant to be armies of
genetically identical livestock: Rather, researchers continue to refine the techniques and combine them
with other methods to turbocharge traditional animal breeding methods as well as gain insights into aging
and disease.

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