The new method may have far-reaching consequences for the dairy and poultry industries where there is a clear preference for females. Prof. Udi Kimron: "We believe that the technology will prevent the birth of unwanted males, and save a lot of suffering from the animals." The study was published on July 1.7.19, XNUMX in the prestigious journal EMBO Reports
Researchers at Tel Aviv University, led by Prof. Udi Kimron, Dr. Ido Yosef, and Dr. Moti Gerlitz from the School of Medicine, developed a groundbreaking genetic method for determining the sex of the fetus with up to 100% certainty. According to the researchers, the innovative technology may revolutionize industries such as cattle and poultry breeding, where there is an absolute preference for females over males. And so young calves find themselves led to slaughter, and the male chicks face the grim fate of being shredded immediately after birth. The pioneering study was published on July 1.7.19, XNUMX in the prestigious journal EMBO Reports
"Farmers in the dairy and poultry sectors understandably prefer carts and chickens over calves and chicks, but as of today there is no accessible and economical genetic way to regulate the ratio between the sexes, which naturally remains around 50:50," explains Prof. Kimron. "We wanted to approach this problem in an innovative way, through genetic engineering."
The researchers used genetically engineered mice, so that an enzyme called Cas9 is expressed in all their body cells. This enzyme remains dormant and does not affect the mouse at all, until it receives "operating instructions" from a certain type of RNA. Then, the enzyme begins to cut DNA segments according to the operating instructions. The researchers also engineered males that carry in their Y chromosome (exclusive to males) the same RNA with operating instructions for the Cas9 enzyme to cut three DNA segments essential for the development of the embryo. The males and females were then hybridized with each other.
"The male embryos created in the womb received the Y chromosome (which determines that the embryo will be male), which contains the lethal operating instructions," says Prof. Kimron. "The instructions activated the Cas9 enzyme received from the mother, and the enzyme destroyed the DNA segments essential for the development of the male embryo. At the same time, the females, who did not receive the operating instructions, developed normally for everything. This is how we reached the birth of 95% females, but it is possible without difficulty to change the ratio and reach 100% females as well."
It is also important to note that if the RNA with the operating instructions had been inserted into the X chromosome of the parent mouse, the process would have stopped the development of female embryos, and would have resulted in the birth of only males." "Our research presents the first approach of its kind to determine the sex of the fetus by genetic means in mammals," concludes Prof. Kimron. "We demonstrated the technology in mice, but it is easy to apply it to other types of mammals, such as cows, pigs or goats. Through further development it will be possible to apply it within a few years in mammals, and later even in poultry, such as chickens. We believe that the technology will prevent the birth of unwanted males, and save a lot of suffering from the animals. Furthermore, the barn, barn and poultry industries may benefit financially from the application of the technology."
6 תגובות
degree of caution
Thank you very much for publishing the article.
First, I would like to qualify the writer for efficiency
"Researchers at Tel Aviv University, led by Prof. Udi Kimron, Dr. Ido Yosef, and Dr. Moti Gerlitz from the School of Medicine, developed a groundbreaking genetic method for determining the sex of the fetus with up to 100% certainty. ” with 100% certainty and not a witness.
Second, as Prof. Yuval Noah Harari once said, sciences are not responsible for what the market will do with their technological developments, which are often determined by the hands of emitters
It actually sounds like a win-win - neither will males be born and the industry will save money. You won't be able to shut down the meat industry.
Yigal
Not really the end. Only done to save costs for the industry of murder and suffering.
End animal cruelty!
Thanks a lot!!!!
With some modification, this method will have great success with the Chinese and Indians who aspire to give birth to only males.
Another thing I hope is taken into account that eating transgenic cows and poultry as mentioned above may/may affect.... All kinds of things like the pitch of the male voice and the future pride parade.
Please respond gently
Yehuda