| MadSci Network: Genetics |
You have asked questions that I believe need to be clarified before they can be answered...
If the question is, "Have changes in DNA sequences during evolution resulted in new species of animals?", then the answer would be:
Yes, the sequence of DNA in many different organsims is similar, but not exactly the same. For example, humans and chimpanzees share many genes in common, and overall the DNA sequence between chimps and humans is over 90% the same, but theses are clearly different organisms. The differences between chimps and humans are determined by the differences in the DNA that makeup their respective chromosomes.These changes have occurred during the evolution of these two different animals from a "common ancestor". Thus, these subtle DNA changes between chimps and humans have "created" different animals.
However, if the question is, "Can a scientist alter a strand of DNA and put it back into an organism and have a new and different species of organism as a result?", then the answer would be:
No, scientists have not yet "converted" one animal into another by means of altering its DNA. Scientists have been able to "modify" organisms genetically by introducing new genes that allow the organism to do specific things. Some genetic modifications can be passed along to offspring of the modified parent depending on the technique that was used.
Try the links in the MadSci Library for more information on Genetics.