Genetically modified animals as potential genetic resources

Abstract

Recent genome programs in livestock animals revolutionized genetic selection. Genomic selection is a form of marker-assisted selection in which genetic markers covering the whole genome are used to estimate genomic breeding values. Recombinant proteins produced by GMO livestock animals with high pharmaceutical value are already reached the market and these products expected to spread in the forthcoming years. Unfortunately even this approach, namely the production of recombinant proteins by livestock animals is developing more slowly than it potentially could. Pharmaceutical companies may be reluctant to adopt these techniques just because they are new and because they suffer from the GMO negative image but perhaps also because they presently make substantial profit with proteins prepared from cultured cells. With the advent of novel transgenic technologies the number of valuable GMO large animals as models of human diseases for translational research has been growing exponentially. The emerging novel method, genome editing, which enables the targeted transfer of a favourable allele, leaving unaltered otherwise the genome of the animal and therefore rising less bioethical and regulatory issues might contribute to increase productivity and in parallel sustainability of livestock production in the near future.