Retrovirus-mediated gene transfer and expression of EGFP in chicken.
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.
Koo
Bon Chul
BC
Department of Animal Sciences, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, South Korea.
Kwon
Mo Sun
MS
Choi
Bok Ruyl
BR
Lee
Hoon Taek
HT
Choi
Ho Jun
HJ
Kim
Jin-Hoi
JH
Kim
Nam-Hyung
NH
Jeon
Iksoo
I
Chang
Wonkyong
W
Kim
Teoan
T
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
D017931:DNA Primers; C485184:enhanced green fluorescent protein; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins