title: Retrovirus-mediated gene transfer and expression of EGFP in chicken.
abstract: Here, we successfully demonstrate expression of the EGFP (enhanced green fluorescence protein) gene in chickens using replication-defective MLV (murine leukemia virus)-based retrovirus vectors encapsidated with VSV-G (vesicular stomatitis virus G glycoprotein). The recombinant retrovirus was injected beneath the blastoderm of non-incubated chicken embryos (stage X). After 12 days incubation, all of the eight living embryos assayed were found to express this vector-encoded EGFP gene, which was under the control of the RSV (Rous Sarcoma Virus) promoter, in diverse organ tissues, including head, beak, neck, wing, hock, tail, toes, heart, amnion, and yolk sac. Surprisingly, despite the presumed cytotoxicity of EGFP, some embryos hatched and survived and these had prominent green fluorescent spots, both in internal organs and externally.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, South Korea.
authors.forename: Bon Chul
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.forename: Mo Sun
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Bok Ruyl
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Hoon Taek
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ho Jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jin-Hoi
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Nam-Hyung
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Iksoo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Wonkyong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Teoan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001483:Base Sequence; D001756:Blastoderm / Q000502:physiology; D002642:Chick Embryo; D002645:Chickens; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics; D017931:DNA Primers; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D009024:Morphogenesis; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; C485184:enhanced green fluorescent protein; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins