Genetically modified chickens could stop bird flu
Scientists have bred transgenic chickens to fight the spread of influenza
RIA News
Scientists have developed a genetically modified line of chickens capable of preventing the spread of avian flu, which has already led to the death of hundreds of people and caused multimillion-dollar damage to farmers, according to an article by researchers published in the journal Science. (Jon Lyal et al., Suppression of Avian Influenza Transmission in Genetically Modified Chickens – VM.)
The authors of the development admit that it will take several more years of research to confirm the safety of transgenic chickens for humans, and therefore at present this work is not a guide to action for food companies and small farms. Nevertheless, it serves as an example of how to combat the spread of the virus, which, according to many experts, as a result of further evolution may acquire the ability to be transmitted from person to person.
A group of scientists led by Professor Helen Sang from the University of Edinburgh in the UK, introduced into the cells of chicken embryos using a harmless virus a special set of RNA molecules capable of interacting with one of the enzymes of the H5N1 virus – the so-called avian flu. By blocking the work of the enzyme as a result of this interaction, a set of RNA prevents its reproduction in the animal's body.
In the course of further research, scientists have shown that this set of molecules can be embedded in special cells of the animal body, thanks to which the "RNA instruction" for combating H5N1 spreads to almost all cells of chickens of the next generation.
In their experiments, the researchers placed transgenic chickens infected with the virus in the same cage with ordinary chickens, some of which were also infected, and some remained healthy. It turned out that transgenic chickens quickly die from the virus, but healthy animals do not become infected even with close contact.
"The deceptive RNA we introduced for the virus mimics an important part of the genome that is identical for all H5N1 strains. It will be very difficult for the virus to evolve in such a way as to bypass our "trap", preserving the ability to infect birds and reproduce in their body. This is a completely new approach, much more effective than vaccines, which are not affordable for small farms in developing countries, where the virus is especially widespread. In addition, vaccines work only for known or very similar modifications of the virus and must be constantly improved," commented Dr. Laurence Tiley, co-author of the article, quoted by the press service of the University of Cambridge.
According to the conclusions of experts, whose opinion is cited by the online publication Nature News (Transgenic chickens curb bird flu transmission - VM), transgenic chickens can become widely available to all world farms in a short time thanks to the work of several large food companies, but currently, for safety reasons, the management of these organizations intends to refrain from introducing genetically modified modified animals in food production.
"The scientific community is excited by the success of their colleagues, but people making decisions in food companies will be especially careful," independent expert, virologist Karel Schat from Cornell University in the USA commented on the study.
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14.01.2011