Research Article

Generation of transgenic chicks using an oviduct-specific expression system

Published: December 08, 2011
Genet. Mol. Res. 10 (4) : 3046-3055 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4238/2011.December.8.1
Cite this Article:
H.A. Kaleri, S.Y. Xu, H.L. Lin (2011). Generation of transgenic chicks using an oviduct-specific expression system. Genet. Mol. Res. 10(4): 3046-3055. https://doi.org/10.4238/2011.December.8.1
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Abstract

We successfully replaced the ovalbumin gene of a magnum region in chickens with a human plasminogen activator. We constructed pL-eGFP, pL-tPAGFP and pL-2.8OVtPAGFP vectors and cultured 293FT chicken embryo fibroblasts, chicken primordial germ cells, Hela C127 cells, and oviduct epithelial cells. All vectors were expressed in the transfected cells, except pL-2.8OVtPAGFP vector, which was only expressed in oviduct epithelial cells. A lentivirus with pL-2.8OVtPAGFP was injected in fertilized eggs; 11 chicks hatched in the G0 generation, four of them carried the tPAGFP. Two cockerels from the G0 generation were crossed with four wild-type hens. Three chicks in G1 carried the tPAGFP. We concluded that by using an oviduct-specific vector for transfection, human recombinant plasminogen activator protein can be expressed in the oviducts of laying hens. This character is inherited and can be reproduced with a need for repeated transfection.

We successfully replaced the ovalbumin gene of a magnum region in chickens with a human plasminogen activator. We constructed pL-eGFP, pL-tPAGFP and pL-2.8OVtPAGFP vectors and cultured 293FT chicken embryo fibroblasts, chicken primordial germ cells, Hela C127 cells, and oviduct epithelial cells. All vectors were expressed in the transfected cells, except pL-2.8OVtPAGFP vector, which was only expressed in oviduct epithelial cells. A lentivirus with pL-2.8OVtPAGFP was injected in fertilized eggs; 11 chicks hatched in the G0 generation, four of them carried the tPAGFP. Two cockerels from the G0 generation were crossed with four wild-type hens. Three chicks in G1 carried the tPAGFP. We concluded that by using an oviduct-specific vector for transfection, human recombinant plasminogen activator protein can be expressed in the oviducts of laying hens. This character is inherited and can be reproduced with a need for repeated transfection.

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