Development of genome engineering technologies in cattle: from random to specific

Area of Science:

• Animal Biotechnology
• Genome Engineering
• Transgenic Livestock

Background:

• Genome engineering in farm animals, particularly cattle, is crucial for altering gene functions.
• Early methods like DNA micro-injection faced limitations such as mosaicism and low efficiency in cattle.
• Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) improved livestock cloning but faced challenges in reprogramming and gene targeting speed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the evolution of genome engineering techniques in cattle.
• To highlight the advancements and challenges in producing transgenic cattle.
• To discuss the potential of emerging genome editing technologies in bovine research and applications.

Main Methods:

• Review of historical and current genome engineering methodologies in cattle.
• Comparison of DNA micro-injection, somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), and modern genome editing tools (ZFN, TALEN, CRISPR-Cas9).
• Analysis of efficiency, challenges, and applications of these techniques in bovine transgenesis.

Main Results:

• DNA micro-injection, while simple, yields low efficiency and mosaicism in cattle.
• SCNT enables cloned livestock production but is hindered by slow development and targeting issues.
• Recent genome editing technologies (ZFN, TALEN, CRISPR-Cas9) show significant promise and success in cattle for disease models and bioreactors.

Conclusions:

• Genome engineering technologies have rapidly evolved, offering enhanced capabilities for cattle.
• CRISPR-Cas9 and similar tools are accelerating the development of transgenic cattle.
• Future applications include deeper understanding of bovine genetics and advancements in biomedical uses.