Genetic transformation of chickens using irradiated sperm: co-transfer of undesirable genes.
An attempt was made to utilise the recently demonstrated method of gene transfer using irradiated male gametes to transfer the B21 associated resistance to Marek's disease into a susceptible line of chickens. Although none of the 1486 progeny tested showed evidence of the transfer of the B21 haplotype a substantial proportion acquired a second marker, susceptibility to lymphoid leukosis virus. These results confirm and extend previous reports in suggesting that although gene transfer by this method occurs at a relatively high frequency, expression of the transferred genes is variable; whether this reflects properties of the DNA itself or of cellular mechanism of expression is not clear.
Bumstead
N
N
Houghton Poultry Research Station, Houghton, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, England.
Freeman
B M
BM
Manning
A C
AC
Howes
K
K