Improvement of wool production through genetic engineering.
Wool is a natural fibre popular in the manufacture of outer clothing and is a vital source of income for several countries. Fundamental knowledge of how wool grows has been gained from research on the biology of sheep, and the prospects ahead are to take advantage of the development and application of recombinant DNA technology to improve the efficiency of production of wool and its quality. This review surveys the possibilities for producing transgenic sheep, modifying rumen bacteria and forage crops, thus increasing the nutritional benefit sheep gain from pasture.
Department of Biochemistry, University of Adelaide, South Australia.
G E
GE
Rogers
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics; D005818:Genetic Engineering; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D010945:Plants, Edible / Q000235:genetics; D012417:Rumen / Q000382:microbiology; D012756:Sheep / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014935:Wool / Q000254:growth & development*
D013006:Growth Hormone