Scottish scientists breed ASF resistant pigs
According to the Sputnik agency, European domestic pigs would be given a gene from their African relatives – warthogs, which will make them resistant to the African swine fever.
Genetics of the Roslin Institute in Scotland will breed pigs, whose organism will be resistant to ASF; this is stated on the website of the educational institution.
“Changing the genome provides an opportunity to increase food security by reducing animal losses from infectious diseases. Our results bring us closer to an understanding of these advantages and, in particular, are among the most important problem of infectious diseases for agriculture around the world, “said lead researcher Professor Alan Archibald.
Scientists are going to plant pigs bred for sale in European countries, a gene found in some breeds of African swine, responsible for the natural resistance to ASF. Wild boars and domestic pigs in this region have the RELA gene, which causes a strong immune response to viral infections and is responsible for the rapid development of their disease.
Genetics from the Roslin Institute modified this gene, bringing it closer to a similar variant in the warthog.Experts are sure that this will make animals much more resistant to ASF. It is assumed that pigs will not be sick, even if they are carriers of the virus.
The scientists conducted experiment on fertilized eggs of domestic pigs, the first genetically modified piglets were already born. At the moment, geneticists are studying them to confirm their conjecture about the resistence of warthogs to ASF.
African swine fever is one of the most serious problems facing breeders around the world today. According to statistics, only in Europe the ASF harms the economy by more than 1.5 billion euros per year.
Source: Sputnik.by
