VPB 321: Animal Biotechnology (2+1)

Uses of recombinant DNA technology in Animal science

USES OF RECOMBINANT DNA TECHNOLOGY IN ANIMAL SCIENCES

Transgenic animals

• Recombinant DNA technology canbe used to introduce foreign genes into organisms for the expression ofspecific new traits. Animals can also be engineered for a variety of purposes.One such thing is transgenic animals. Transgenic animals not only provideinvaluable research tools for studying gene regulation and disease, but theymay be genetically modified for the production of pharmaceuticals, vaccines andrare chemicals as well as for food production. Genetically engineered livestock(bioreactors) will yield important products in milk or blood for treating avariety of human diseases and health needs. Among such products might be:
• Human hemoglobin which could be used during trauma when much blood is lost. Hemoglobin is more desirable than whole blood or red blood cells for transfusions, since it requires no refrigeration and is compatible with all blood types, eliminating the need for blood typing.
• Human protein C, which helps prevent blood clotting.
• Human tissue plasminogen activator, which is used to treat patients after a heart attack.
• Human alpha-1-antitrypsin, which may be useful in treating the people who have ha1AT-deficiency which predisposes them to a life-threatening type of emphysema.

Vaccines and Diagnostics

• Recombinant DNA technology maybe the only way of preventing some of the more widespread and devastatinganimal diseases found in many developing countries.
• Monoclonal antibodies andrecombinant vaccines produced by this technology are effective against deadlybacterial and viral diseases.
• Genetic engineering enablesimmunogenic proteins produced in bacterial and yeast cells to be used asvaccines that offer several advantages over traditionally produced vaccines and it can dramaticallyreduce production costs. A pure protein is often produced, eliminating the needfor extensive and costly testing since the disease-causing pathogen is notpresent.
• Recombinant DNA technologyalso eliminates the need for inactivated vaccine by enabling the antigen to besynthesized separately from the pathogen.
• The genes of differentproteins can be fused so that a variety of antigens are present in a singlevaccine.
• New disease diagnostic kitsbased on recombinant DNA technology are available for animal diseases and aremore sensitive, rapid and safe.