[Studies of foreign gene integeation during embryo early development]
Yi Chuan Xue Bao = Acta Genetica Sinica
|August 31, 1999
Summary
Identifying foreign gene integration in early-stage mouse embryos using PCR significantly improves transgenic animal production efficiency. This method screens for successful gene integration before implantation, reducing costs and increasing success rates.
Area of Science:
- Animal biotechnology
- Molecular biology
- Genetics
Context:
- Transgenic animal production faces challenges with gene transfer efficiency and cost.
- Early identification of foreign gene integration is crucial for improving success rates.
Purpose:
- To develop and evaluate a method for identifying foreign gene integration in mouse embryos.
- To assess the efficiency of gene integration at different embryonic stages (1, 2, and 8 cells).
Summary:
- Mice fertilized eggs were microinjected with a construct containing the whey acidic protein (WAP) gene promoter directing the G-CSF gene.
- Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was used to detect foreign gene retention and integration.
- Retention rates were 100%, 77.7%, and 44.4% at 1, 2, and 8 cell stages, respectively.
- Using homologous recombination fragments, integration rates were 11.1%, 55.5%, and 44.4% at 1, 2, and 8 cell stages, respectively.
Impact:
- This technique offers a potential method for screening transgenic embryos in farm animals using embryo section techniques.
- Improved screening can lead to more efficient and cost-effective production of transgenic livestock.
Related Concept Videos
01:16In-vitro Mutagenesis
To learn more about the function of a gene, researchers can observe what happens when the gene is inactivated or “knocked out,” by creating genetically engineered knockout animals. Knockout mice have been particularly useful as models for human diseases such as cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and diabetes.
01:56Gastrulation
Gastrulation establishes the three primary tissues of an embryo: the ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. This developmental process relies on a series of intricate cellular movements, which in humans transforms a flat, “bilaminar disc” composed of two cell sheets into a three-tiered structure. In the resulting embryo, the endoderm serves as the bottom layer, and stacked directly above it is the intermediate mesoderm, and then the uppermost ectoderm. Respectively, these tissue strata will form...