Publikationsdatenbank

Acquiring resistance against a retroviral infection via CRISPR/Cas9 targeted genome editing in a commercial chicken line (2020)

Art

Zeitschriftenartikel / wissenschaftlicher Beitrag

Autoren

Hellmich, Romina

Sid, Hicham

Lengyel, Kamila

Flisikowski, Krzysztof

Schlickenrieder, Antonina

Bartsch, Denise

Thoma, Theresa

Bertzbach, Luca D. (WE 5)

Kaufer, Benedikt B. (WE 5)

Nair, Venugopal

Preisinger, Rudolf

Schusser, Benjamin

Quelle

Frontiers in genome editing

Bandzählung: 2

Seiten: Article 3

ISSN: 2673-3439

Sprache

Englisch

Verweise

URL (Volltext): https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgeed.2020.00003/full

DOI: 10.3389/fgeed.2020.00003

Kontakt

Institut für Virologie

Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13
14163 Berlin
+49 30 838 51833
virologie@vetmed.fu-berlin.de

Abstract / Zusammenfassung

Genome editing technology provides new possibilities for animal breeding and aid in understanding host-pathogen interactions. In poultry, retroviruses display one of the most difficult pathogens to control by conventional strategies such as vaccinations. Avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) is an oncogenic, immunosuppressive retrovirus that causes myeloid leukosis and other tumors in chickens. Severe economic losses caused by ALV-J remain an unsolved problem in many parts of the world due to inefficient eradication strategies and lack of effective vaccines. ALV-J attachment and entry are mediated through the specific receptor, chicken Na+/H+ exchanger type 1 (chNHE1). The non-conserved amino acid tryptophan 38 (W38) in chNHE1 is crucial for virus entry, making it a favorable target for the introduction of disease resistance. In this study, we obtained ALV-J-resistance in a commercial chicken line by precise deletion of chNHE1 W38, utilizing the CRISPR/Cas9-system in combination with homology directed repair. The genetic modification completely protected cells from infection with a subgroup J retrovirus. W38 deletion did neither have a negative effect on the development nor on the general health condition of the gene edited chickens. Overall, the generation of ALV-J-resistant birds by precise gene editing demonstrates the immense potential of this approach as an alternative disease control strategy in poultry.