Production of homozygous transgenic rainbow trout with enhanced disease resistance

Mar Biotechnol (NY). 2014 Jun;16(3):299-308. doi: 10.1007/s10126-013-9550-z. Epub 2013 Oct 2.

Abstract

Previous studies conducted in our laboratory showed that transgenic medaka expressing cecropin B transgenes exhibited resistant characteristic to fish bacterial pathogens, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Vibrio anguillarum. To confirm whether antimicrobial peptide gene will also exhibit anti-bacterial and anti-viral characteristics in aquaculture important fish species, we produced transgenic rainbow trout expressing cecropin P1 or a synthetic cecropin B analog, CF-17, transgene by sperm-mediated gene transfer method. About 30 % of fish recovered from electroporation were shown to carry the transgene as determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification assay. Positive P₁ transgenic fish were crossed to non-transgenic fish to establish F₁ transgenic founder families, and subsequently generating F₂, and F₃ progeny. Expression of cecropin P1 and CF-17 transgenes was detected in transgenic fish by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR analysis. The distribution of body sizes among F₁ transgenic fish were not significantly different from those of non-transgenic fish. Results of challenge studies revealed that many families of F₂ and F₃ transgenic fish exhibited resistance to infection by Aeromonas salmonicida and infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV). All-male homozygous cecropin P1 transgenic families were produced by androgenesis from sperm of F₃ heterozygous transgenic fish in one generation. The resistant characteristic to A. salmonicida was confirmed in progeny derived from the outcross of all-male fish to non-transgenic females. Results of our current studies confirmed the possibility of producing disease-resistant homozygous rainbow trout strains by transgenesis of cecropin P1 or CF-17 gene and followed by androgenesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified / genetics*
  • Aquaculture / methods
  • Crosses, Genetic
  • DNA Primers / genetics
  • Disease Resistance / genetics*
  • Electroporation / veterinary
  • Female
  • Gene Transfer Techniques / veterinary
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Oncorhynchus mykiss / genetics*
  • Peptides / metabolism*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary

Substances

  • DNA Primers
  • Peptides
  • cecropin P1-LI