Location: Plant Genetics Research
Project Number: 5070-31320-001-015-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jun 1, 2024
End Date: May 31, 2025
Objective:
Using gene editing techniques, systematically alter the DNA sequence predicted to cause beneficial changes in poultry production and to test these changes in vitro and, where warranted, in vivo.
Approach:
In order to identify targets to further improve poultry welfare and production, we have identified genes or QTLs through: 1) genome wide association studies that are associated with positive traits; 2) known genes that are associated with
positive traits in other species; 3) known biological pathways that are associated with positive animal traits; and 4) evaluate the susceptibility of the gene-altered cells to common viruses.
The goal is to validate the role the gene plays in the cellular phenotype in vitro which will be done before producing gene-edited animals. To achieve this goal, poultry primary cell lines and organoid systems will be established from multiple tissue types. Then, each cell line will be characterized by RNA-sequencing and by using a proteomics biomarker approach. A comparison between our primary cell lines, commercially available cell lines (if available), and cells collected from whole tissue will be completed to understand how well our cell cultures mimic the in vivo tissue.
