Hostname: page-component-7479d7b7d-pfhbr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-08T14:32:37.095Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Transgene effects, introgression strategies and testing schemes in pigs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

L. T. Gama
Affiliation:
Centre for Genetic Improvement of Livestock, Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
C. Smith
Affiliation:
Centre for Genetic Improvement of Livestock, Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
J. P. Gibson
Affiliation:
Centre for Genetic Improvement of Livestock, Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
Get access

Abstract

Strategies of introgressing a transgene into a pig nucleus undergoing mass selection for net merit were deterministically evaluated. They consisted of systematically backcrossing hemizygous transgenic sires to females from the selection nucleus, or vice versa, followed by intercrossing of hemizygous individuals, assuming different levels of heritability (h2), polygenic breeding value of the founder animal, inbreeding depression and constraints in availability of resources. The polygenic breeding value of the founder transgenic animal and inbreeding depression were of negligible importance if backcrossing lasted for at least three generations, and there was little advantage in extending backcrossing much further. The best introgression strategy examined was to backcross selection nucleus sires to hemizygous females, but this was a less efficient strategy in terms of testing transgene effects. Testing the survival of homozygous carriers requires approximately five and 100 matings among hemizygous individuals to detect a reduction in viability of 0·5 and 0·1, respectively. Comparing several candidate transgenes in the first generations of backcrossing is feasible, and does not result in substantial delays in improvement of polygenic breeding value in the selected transgene. If resources are limited, the magnitude of the transgene effect (as a proportion of the mean) that compensates for the genetic lag incurred by its introgression is about 0·1 for most economic traits in pigs. To compensate for less selection while backcrossing and for risk in use, transgenes must have an appreciable effect on economic merit to make their introgression worthwhile, even when the additional costs of transgene production are ignored.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1992

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Belonsky, G. M. and Kennedy, B. W. 1988. Selection on individual phenotype and best linear unbiased predictor of breeding values in a closed swine herd. Journal of Animal Science 66: 11241131.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brem, G., Brenig, B., Muller, M., Krausslich, H. and Winnacker, E. L. 1988. Production of transgenic pigs an d possible applications to pig breeding. Occasional publication, British Society of Animal Production, no. 12, pp. 1531.Google Scholar
Cochran, W. G. and Cox, G. M. 1957. Experimental designs. Wiley, New York.Google Scholar
First, N. L. 1990. New animal breeding techniques and their application. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility, supplement no. 41, pp. 314.Google ScholarPubMed
Gordon, J. W. and Ruddle, F. H. 1981. Integration and stable transmission of genes injected into mouse pronuclei. Science, Washington. 214: 12441246.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hoeschele, I. 1990. Potential gain from insertion of major genes into dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 73: 26012618.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Land, R. B. 1989. The application of molecular manipulation to livestock improvement. In Evolution and animal breeding (ed. Hill, W. G. and MacKay, T. F. C.), pp. 213218. CAB International, Oxford.Google Scholar
Nagai, J., Sabour, P., Ramsey, U. and Gavora, J. S. 1990. Development of lines of mice with or without rat growth hormone transgene and its frequency in mice maintained under random mating. Proceedings of 4th world conference on genetics applied to livestock production, Edinburgh, vol. 13, pp. 337340.Google Scholar
Pursel, V. G., Pinkert, C. A., Miller, K. F., Bolt, D. J., Campbell, R. G., Palmiter, R. D., Brinster, R. L. and Hammer, R. E. 1989. Genetic engineering of livestock. Science, Washington 244: 12811288.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pursel, V. G., Hammer, R. E., Bolt, D. J., Palmiter, R. D. and Brinster, R. L. 1990. Integration, expression and germline transmission of growth-related genes in pigs. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility, supplement no. 41, pp. 7787.Google ScholarPubMed
Saefuddin, A. 1991. Simulation studies of populations with transgenes under selection. M.Sc. Thesis, University of Guelph.Google Scholar
Smith, C. 1984. Rates of genetic change in farm livestock. Research and Development in Agriculture 1: 7985.Google Scholar
Smith, C., Meuwissen, T. H. E. and Gibson, J. P. 1987. On the use of transgenes in livestock improvement. Animal Breeding Abstracts 55: 110.Google Scholar
Snedecor, G. W. and Cochran, W. G. 1989. Statistical methods. 8th ed. Iowa State University Press, Ames.Google Scholar
Ward, K. A., Nancarrow, C. D., Murray, J. D., Shanahan, C. M., Byrne, C. R., Rigby, N. W., Townrow, C. A., Leish, Z., Wilson, B. W., Graham, N. M., Wynn, P. C., Hunt, C. L. and Speck, P. A. 1990. The current status of genetic engineering in domestic animals. Journal of Dairy Science 73: 25862592.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wieghart, M., Hoover, J. L., McGrane, M. M., Hanson, R. W., Rottman, F. M., Holtzman, S. H., Wagner, T. E. and Pinkert, C. A. 1990. Production of transgenic pigs harbouring a rat phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase-bovine growth hormone fusion gene. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility, supplement no. 41, pp. 8996.Google ScholarPubMed
Wilmut, I., Archibald, A. L., Harris, S., McClenaghan, M., Simons, J. P., Whitelaw, C. B. A. and Clark, A. J. 1990. Modification of milk composition. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility, supplement no. 41, pp. 135146.Google ScholarPubMed