THE FARM REVEALED
PROGRAMME 3: CLONING
PROGRAMME OUTLINE
00.0 – 01:15
Titles and introduction.
01:15 – 02:17
Dr Chris Smith explains what cloning means.
02:17 – 06:08
Dr Chris Smith takes cheek cells from a volunteer. He mixes them with washing-up liquid, to break open the cell membranes, and pineapple juice, to remove the proteins. We leave the studio while the solution incubates.
06:08 – 11:34
Olivia Judson reports from the Zoological Society of San Diego where Dr Oliver Ryder has frozen the DNA of about 600 endangered animals. The gene bank is aimed at helping conserve species in cases where so few individuals remain that the animals are at risk of being lost as a result of defects arising from inbreeding.
Dr Ryder has already cloned a rare breed of cattle, the Banteng, from frozen tissues stored 25 years ago. He hopes that this animal will inject some genetic diversity into a dangerously small breeding population.
11.34 – 15:35
Returning to the studio, Dr Chris Smith extracts an unremarkable gloopy substance – this is DNA. He explains that each of us has a unique DNA 'sequence' that is the basis of our genetic fingerprint.
He goes on to explain that taking a cutting from a plant is one way of cloning, but cloning humans or animals is much more complex.
15:35 – 17:00
Giles Corin reports from a ranch in Texas, where he meets a herd of cloned cows. We see that although they are genetically identical they are not mirror images of one another in either looks or personality.
17:00 – 19:58
Olivia Judson reports on the process of cloning an animal.
Firstly, all the genetic material is removed from an egg. This is replaced with DNA taken from a skin cell from the desired animal. The egg is zapped with an electric shock to stimulate it into development, then inserted it into the uterus of a surrogate mother.
Back on the ranch, Giles reflects that winning prizes by showing cloned animals is really rather like cheating. He is also uneasy with the idea of eating a clone.
19: 58 – 21:52
Back in the studio, Chris explains that human cloning still has its problems. For each successful animal clone born, 300 attempts have failed. Would this be acceptable for humans?
Rufus ponders how long it would take him to clone Britney Spears. And even then he couldn't be sure that he would produce an exact copy of Britney.
21:52 – 23:15
Chris explains the concept and occurrence of twins – nature's clones. Eve and Emma are in the audience. They are identical twins. The look alike, but they have different personalities and different fingerprints.
