 An albino lizard hatchling. (Doug Menke) Scientists edited the genes within lizard embryos for the first time, using the powerful tool CRISPR. CRISPR, which can snip through DNA like molecular scissors, has allowed biologists to manipulate genes in dozens of species. Most of those animals were already regulars in biology labs such as fruit flies and monkeys (and their clones). But the technique's simplicity has also triggered a wave of gene-editing in more exotic species such as cuttlefish, ants and beetles, as Nature magazine pointed out earlier this year. These lizards join the ranks of those unusual organisms. As is the case for many proof-of-concept edits in animals, the scientists changed nothing but their color. A report published this week in Cell Reports describes the technique in Anolis lizards: By deleting a gene, the lizards developed without pigment — the biologists, in other words, made albino lizards. Color is often a target for biologists who want to hone their gene-editing craft. Researchers working with squid embryos have had some success altering pigment in cephalopod cells. Mutant butterflies, altered with CRISPR, grew different patterns in their wings. Color is appealing for a couple of reasons: Scientists can generally tell whether they were successful at a glance. Plus, removing pigment won't kill the animals. Editing lizards such as Anolis has future potential beyond tweaking their skin, said Douglas Menke, a study author and developmental biologist University of Georgia, in a news release. "Humans and other primates have a feature in the eye called the fovea, which is a pit-like structure in the retina that's critical for high-acuity vision," he said. Most animals used for model systems don't have this. But anole lizards, who use their sharp eyes to hunt insects, do. | 
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