Originally posted by sonhouse
100% man made, this could lead to a completely artificial life form!
http://www.techtimes.com/articles/4958/20140330/artificial-yeast-chromosome-created-from-scratch-could-revolutionize-biofuel-and-medical-industries.htm
Well in gact not 100% man made. They took an existing chromosome and changed it.
From the paper: Here, we report the synthesis of a functional 272,871–base pair designer eukaryotic chromosome, synIII, which is based on the 316,617–base pair native Saccharomyces cerevisiae chromosome III.
So they actuall took a chromosome and cut out abouut 10% fiddled with it, that they got the right from and reinserted it.
To be sure that is a BIG thing, but really, really far from making a chromosome from scratch! Even science journalist are not a reliable source if things are complicated.