Efficient production of omega-3 fatty acid desaturase (sFat-1)-transgenic pigs by somatic cell nuclear transfer.
Omega-3(omega-3) fatty acid desaturase transgenic pigs may improve carcass fatty acid composition. The use of transgenic pigs is also an excellent large animal model for studying the role of omega-3 fatty acids in the prevention and treatment of coronary heart disease and cancer. Transgenic pigs carrying synthesized fatty acid desaturase-1 gene (sFat-1) from Caenorhabditis briggsae by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) were produced for the first time in China. Porcine fetal fibroblast cells were transfected with a sFat-1 expression cassette by the liposome-mediated method. Transgenic embryos were reconstructed by nuclear transfer of positive cells into enucleated in vitro matured oocytes. A total of 1889 reconstructed embryos were transferred into 10 naturally cycling gilts. Nine early pregnancies were established, 7 of which went to term. Twenty-one piglets were born. The cloning efficiency was 1.1% (born piglets/transferred embryos). The integration of the sFat-1 gene was confirmed in 15 live cloned piglets by PCR and Southern blot except for 2 piglets. Expression of the sFat-1 gene in 12 of 13 piglets was detected with RT-PCR. The data demonstrates that an efficient system for sFat-1 transgenic cloned pigs was developed, which led to the successful production of piglets expressing the sFat-1 gene.
Pan
DengKe
D
Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China. pandengke@yahoo.com.cn
Zhang
Li
L
Zhou
YanRong
Y
Feng
Chong
C
Long
Chuan
C
Liu
Xiao
X
Wan
Rong
R
Zhang
Jian
J
Lin
AiXing
A
Dong
EnQiu
E
Wang
ShuChen
S
Xu
HouGang
H
Chen
HongXing
H
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D002681:China; D004171:Diploidy; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases / Q000235:genetics*; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D053652:Nuclear Transfer Techniques; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000235:genetics*; D014162:Transfection
D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases; C078565:omega-3 fatty acid desaturase