Detection of foreign DNA in transgenic chicken embryos using the polymerase chain reaction

Chicken primordial germ cells were infected with a defective retrovirus containing the Escherichia coli lacZ gene and injected into the heart of stage 15 embryos. DNA samples were isolated from various tissues of the injected embryos at different stages of development and were examined for the presence of the lacZ gene using the polymerase chain reaction. Integration of the retrovirus DNA was demonstrated with a 32P-labelled oligonucleotide in five-, 10- and 18-day embryos. This quick procedure provides an opportunity for the early detection of foreign DNA in small numbers of transfected cells and is a valuable tool in the detection of transgenic animals.