Advances and challenges in genetic technologies to produce single-sex litters

PLoS Genet. 2020 Jul 23;16(7):e1008898. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008898. eCollection 2020 Jul.

Abstract

There is currently a requirement for single-sex litters for many applications, including agriculture, pest control, and reducing animal culling in line with the 3Rs principles: Reduction, Replacement, and Refinement. The advent of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing presents a new opportunity with which to potentially generate all-female or all-male litters. We review some of the historical nongenetic strategies employed to generate single-sex litters and investigate how genetic and genome editing techniques are currently being used to produce all-male or all-female progeny. Lastly, we speculate on future technologies for generating single-sex litters and the possible associated challenges.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • CRISPR-Cas Systems / genetics*
  • Female
  • Gene Editing / methods
  • Male
  • Reproduction / genetics*
  • Sex Determination Analysis*
  • Sex Determination Processes / genetics*