Thibault de Saint Phalle

5°

Transgenic Animals

Detailed Description:

A Transgenic Animal is one that carries a foreign gene put into its

genome. This foreign gene is constructed using Recombinant DNA

Methodology. Recombinant DNA is DNA that is constructed artificially,

from two or more original sources transformed into one single

recombinant molecule. The inserted gene is usually not alone, but

instead includes other genetic sequences that enable it to be

incorporated into the host DNA, and to actually express itself correctly

in the host cells. Examples of these are transgenic sheep or goats that

have inserted genes to allow them to produce foreign proteins in their

milk, transgenic chickens that are able to synthesize human proteins in

the “whites” of their eggs, and perhaps the more popular, the

transgenic mouse, of which there are many kinds for entirely different

purposes. Transgenic animals are thought to have the potential to be

very useful in the future in the creation of human proteins for gene

therapy, or really any proteins at all. As shown to us by the spider-silk-

producing goats, the possibilities of uses for transgenic animals

transcend the traditional beliefs of them being used simply for human

proteins or potentially entire organs in the future. Though as the field

is still relatively new, with the first recombinant bacteria created in

1973, the scientific world still has yet to feel out the limits of

transgenic animals, or if there are any.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transgenic_animals#Transgenic_animals

http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/T/TransgenicAni

mals.html#Knock-in

http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/R/Recombinant

DNA.html

“Got Silk?” article read in class.

Step by Step Procedure:

There are two main procedures for the creation of a transgenic animal,

the first being the Embryonic Stem Cell Method, and the second being

the Pronucleus Method.

Embryonic Stem Cell Method:

1. Make the recombinant DNA that is to be

inserted, including the desired structural gene,

the vector genes to allow for insertion into the

molecule, and the promoter and enabling

sequences allowing it to be expressed in the

host cells after inserted.

2. Expose the cultured cells to some DNA

so that some will be incorporated through

transformation.
 3. Select the successfully transformed cells

to be used in the creation of the animal.

4. Inject the selected cells into the inner

cell mass (ICM) of the mouse blastocysts.

5. Pseudo-impregnate a mouse by mating

a female with a vasectomized male, so as to

stimulate the hormonal changes needed to

make her uterus receptive, without actually

impregnating her.

6. Transfer the embryos into the female

mouse’s uterus.

7. Test the offspring for the desired gene.

No more than 10-20% will have the gene, and

they will be homozygous.

8. Mate two of the heterozygous mice in an

attempt to produce offspring that will be

homozygous for the desired “transgene”.

Pronucleus Method:

1. Prepare the DNA as aforementioned in

the Embryonic Stem Cell Method.

2. Harvest freshly fertilized eggs before

sperm head becomes a pronucleus.

3. Inject the male pronucleus with the

created DNA.

4. Allow zygote to become a 2-cell embryo

through the process of mitosis.

5. Implant embryos into the

pseudopregnant foster mother, done as

 described in the Embryonic Stem Cell Method,

and proceed as done in the Embryonic Stem

Cell Method.

Sources:

http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/Biol

ogyPages/T/TransgenicAnimals.html

Timeline:

1663-Existence of cell discovered.

1833-First enzyme discovered and isolated.

1906-The term “genetics” is first used.

1953-Genetic structure of DNA discovered.

1966-The genetic code is “cracked”.

1973-First recombinant bacteria created.

1975-Asilomar Conference held, and potential risks of genetic

engineering first discussed.

1978-Genentech announced creation of E. coli strain that produces

human insulin.

1981-First transgenic animals created at Ohio University.

2003-GloFish hits the North American market as the first genetically

modified pet.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transgenic_animals#Transgenic_animals

http://www.chemheritage.org/discover/chemistry-in-

history/themes/biomolecules/dna/watson-crick-wilkins-franklin.aspx

http://www.bio.org/speeches/pubs/er/timeline.asp

Potential Uses:

There are three main ways in which transgenic animals benefit

humans, and they are as follows: Agriculture, Medicine, and Industry.

Agriculturally speaking, it speeds up the process of the natural already

used process of selective breeding, and it attains the desired trait with

more precision. It can be used to increase the quality of the

agricultural product, such as healthier milk, or meatier pork and cattle,

and it can make the agricultural produce more resistant to disease,

increasing efficiency greatly. Medicinally speaking, transgenic animals

can be used to create human proteins used in gene therapy, they can

be used to create other nutritional supplements or pharmaceuticals,

such as insulin, growth hormone, and blood anti-clotting factors, and it

can potentially be used to help us harvest human organs for

xenotransplantation, creating the possibility to save thousands of lives

that would otherwise be lost due to lack of viable organs ready to be

transplanted. While the medicinal uses are mainly still in development,

and not much can currently be done in that field, it certainly has a lot

of potential. And Industrially, transgenic animals can be used to

produce powerful natural items more quickly, and for less money, such

as the spider-silk producing goats in Canada.

Sources: http://www.actionbioscience.org/biotech/margawati.html

“Got Silk?” article read in class.

Ethical Concerns:

There are many ethical concerns with transgenic animals, but the main

reasons for opposition tend to be that the use of animals in

biotechnological research causes immense suffering to the animals

themselves, their use in the production of proteins reduces them to

less than animal, and into mere factories, the equality of man and

animal, and finally the devaluation of humanness. Some people, on the

complete other side of the spectrum as those in the point of opposition

immediately prior, believe that the hybridization of man and animal

devalues us, and blurs the lines between man and animal.

Sources: http://www.molecular-plant-biotechnology.info/transgenic-

animals/ethical-issues-related-to-transgenic-animals.htm

Political Issues:

In respect to genetically modified foods, Monsanto removed their seed

cereal business from Europe in response to a negative public opinion.

Environmentalists crashed a World Trade Organization conference in

Cancun that promoted genetically modified foods. Countries like Japan,

New Zealand, France, Germany and Africa, though most African

countries don’t have the resources either way, are generally opposed

to the idea of genetically modified organisms, whereas Canada, the

United States, and some Eastern-European countries are more open to

the idea.

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_organism

Personal Opinion:

In my mind, the field of Transgenic Animals is a very interesting one.

There’s certainly a lot of potential agriculturally, industrially, and

especially medicinally, but with that potential comes a price. With all of

the ethical and political debate circling the topic, I began to question

my initial reaction quite a bit, but in the end, I went with my intuition.

We, as humans, have evolved to utilize every resource we can to

enhance our lives, and now that nature itself is a resource, why deny

our nature?

And with greater scientific understanding of the situation, we see that

many of the ethical concerns are so miniscule they almost seem

imaginary, and the only really pressing one in my eyes is the animals

suffering, though I’m confident we will be able to fix that in time.

Sources: All aforementioned resources

My mind