Transgenic Pigs Carrying a Synthesized Fatty Acid Desaturase Gene Yield High Level of ω-3 PUFAs  

作　　者：REN Hong-yan ZHENG Xin-min CHEN Hong-xing LI Kui 

机构地区：[1]Key Laboratory for Farm Animal Genetic Resources and Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture/Inspection Test Center for Biosafety of Genetically Modified Animal and Feed （Beijing）, Ministry of Agriculture/Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, P.R.China [2]Key Laboratory of Animal Embryo ＆ Molecular Breeding of Hubei Province/Institute of Veterinary and Animal Science, Hubei Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Wuhan 430064, P.R.China [3]Beijing Institute ofBiotechnology, Beijing 100071, P.R. China

出　　处：《Agricultural Sciences in China》2011年第10期1603-1608,共6页中国农业科学（英文版）

基　　金：supported by the National Transgenic Breeding Project, China (2008ZX08010-004);the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30830080);the National Basic Research Program of China (G2006CB102105, 2009CB941604);the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (20060110Z1039, 2008AA10Z143)

摘　　要：Polyunsaturated fatty acids （PUFAs） are essential for normal growth in mammals, especially the ω-3 PUFAs, which play important roles in preventing several life-threatening diseases, such as coronary heart disease and diabetes. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether the sFat-1 gene from Caenorhabditis briggsae could be functionally expressed in transgenic pigs, and whether the transgenic could synthesize high quality ω-3 PUFAs endogenously. In this study, a gene construct consisting of CMV promoter and 1.9 kb cDNA of ω-3 fatty acid desaturase gene （sFat-1） from C. briggsae was injected into the male pronucleus of pig embryos by microinjection. The piglets were screened for the transgene by PCR, Southern blot and reverse transcription-PCR analysis. Pigs that give positive results were mated with wild-type pigs to produce the next generation and the transmission of transgene was examined by PCR analysis. Fatty acids compositions of various tissues in the transgenic pigs were then analyzed by gas chromatograph. A total of 878 embryos were transferred into 42 recipients, among which 29 successfully got pregnant and gave birth to a total of 162 piglets, and 8 of them were identified to be transgenic. Fatty acid compositions in the transgenic pigs were altered, and the levels of ω-6：ω-3 ratios were decreased from 14.53 in the control to 2.62 in Fat-1 transgenic pigs. A number of primary sFat-1-transgenic pigs were bred in this study, which lays the foundation for cultivation of new varieties of transgenic pigs.Polyunsaturated fatty acids （PUFAs） are essential for normal growth in mammals, especially the ω-3 PUFAs, which play important roles in preventing several life-threatening diseases, such as coronary heart disease and diabetes. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether the sFat-1 gene from Caenorhabditis briggsae could be functionally expressed in transgenic pigs, and whether the transgenic could synthesize high quality ω-3 PUFAs endogenously. In this study, a gene construct consisting of CMV promoter and 1.9 kb cDNA of ω-3 fatty acid desaturase gene （sFat-1） from C. briggsae was injected into the male pronucleus of pig embryos by microinjection. The piglets were screened for the transgene by PCR, Southern blot and reverse transcription-PCR analysis. Pigs that give positive results were mated with wild-type pigs to produce the next generation and the transmission of transgene was examined by PCR analysis. Fatty acids compositions of various tissues in the transgenic pigs were then analyzed by gas chromatograph. A total of 878 embryos were transferred into 42 recipients, among which 29 successfully got pregnant and gave birth to a total of 162 piglets, and 8 of them were identified to be transgenic. Fatty acid compositions in the transgenic pigs were altered, and the levels of ω-6：ω-3 ratios were decreased from 14.53 in the control to 2.62 in Fat-1 transgenic pigs. A number of primary sFat-1-transgenic pigs were bred in this study, which lays the foundation for cultivation of new varieties of transgenic pigs.

关 键 词：transgenic pigs sFat-1 gene ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids MICROINJECTION 

分 类 号：Q786[生物学—分子生物学] S831.5[农业科学—畜牧学]