Genetic Modification Produces Mighty Mouse

Identity Missing writes "An Ohio laboratory has produced genetically modified mice which 'can run five to six kilometres at a speed of 20 meters per minute on a treadmill, for up to six hours before stopping,' as well as a number of other remarkable feats. An enzyme called phosphoenolypyruvate carboxykinases (PEPCK-C) is apparently responsible, and we should hope that the scientists are correct in saying that athletes won't be modifying their genes any time soon to get it, because it apparently makes the mice more aggressive. If anyone feels a super villain coming on, at least we can rely on these Mighty Mice. A video demonstrates just how much these little guys beat the competition."

RTFA much?

[cduffy]

Ten times as many mitochondria in the muscles.

Spidey sense?

[SpuriousLogic]

Anyone else remember this from SpiderMan? The serum that is used on Norman Oswald was first used on mice to turn them into super mice, but had the side effect of making them incredibly aggressive....

Re:RTFA much?

[GeckoX]

Again, RTFA. It's right there. They live longer, age slower. 3 year old mice having babies...as mentioned in the article, for a mouse that's like an 80 year old human having a baby.

Anything else you'd like summed up from the article? ;)

Re:This has me worried

[cyphercell]

give them the plague, it will be way more mobile than before.

Re:If they experimented on humans this much...

[FleaPlus]

You first.

Apparently many researchers who do muscle augmentation research have to turn down eager calls from athletes and their coaches who want to be human test subjects, looking for any way to boost their abilities.

20 (meters per minute) = 0.745645431 mph

[John Sokol]

20 (meters per minute) = 0.745645431 mph
  that doesn't seem very fast for a mouse. Maybe running for 6 hours is amazing though.

  Mice can run up to 4 Kilometers per hour this is around 2.48548477 mph
        See: http://jeb.biologists.org/cgi/content/figsonly/207/22/3839 [biologists.org]

    So they are running at around 30% of there maximum speed.

    To put that into some perspective humans walk at around 3mph. and sprint for short distances at 20 Mph.
    A 4 Minute mile is 15 Mph, this is considered very good for a runner.

    The Marathon world record time running a 42.195 kilometers distance is 2 hours 4 minutes and 26 seconds, set in the Berlin Marathon by Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia on September 30, 2007.
    This required an average speed of 13 Miles per hour for 2 hours. Just amazing really.

    For regular humans in a Marathon the average time is more like to 4 hours or around 6.5 Mph.
          http://www.marathonguide.com/features/Articles/2005RecapOverview.cfm [marathonguide.com]

    So to compare this with mice a humans peak is 15Mph (4 minute Mile) so 30% of peak is is 4.5 Mph.

    This accomplishment for mice is roughly equal to humans running at 4.5 Mph for 6 hours. for 27 miles or 43.452 kilometers just over a marathon distance. 6 Hour times are well below average and would be the slow runners in a marathon.

    So the mice are running a slow Marathon! Well below a human average.