Biobanking animal genetic resources: Critical infrastructure and growth opportunities

Authors: Blackburn, Harvey; Lozada-Soto, Emmanuel; PAIVA, SAMUEL - Embrapa

Submitted to: Trends in Genetics
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/28/2023
Publication Date: 2/5/2024
Citation: Blackburn, H.D., Lozada-Soto, E.A., Paiva, S. 2023. Biobanking animal genetic resources: Critical infrastructure and growth opportunities. Trends in Genetics. 40(2):115-117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tig.2023.11.004.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tig.2023.11.004

Interpretive Summary: Globally animal genetic resources are contracting. Collecting germplasm and/or tissues from livestock populations and holding the material in gene banks is an approach that can be used to preserve genetic variability. The U.S. and Brazil have developed substanitial collections of germplasm and tissues from livestock populations that exceed one million samples for each country over the last two decades. In the U.S. more than 11,000 samples have exited the collection for a variety of purposes by industry and scientists. New challenges are emerging that include insuring: collections are as complete as possible; sufficient quantities have been collected that can have major impacts on industry when used; and collections are used to promote industry or scientific objectives. It is important that the long term role of gene banks be understood and how it may take more than 20 years for samples to be used and impact future issues.

Technical Abstract: Globally animal genetic resources are contracting. Collecting germplasm and/or tissues from livestock populations and holding the material in gene banks is an approach that can be used to preserve genetic variability. The U.S. and Brazil have developed substanitial collections of germplasm and tissues from livestock populations that exceed one million samples for each country over the last two decades. In the U.S. more than 11,000 samples have exited the collection for a variety of purposes by industry and scientists. In several instances these samples have had major impacts on industry. For example, saving over $2 million in genotyping costs, and increasing dairy industry revenue by approximately $400 million per year as a result of the development of genomic breeding values. New challenges are emerging that include insuring: collections are as complete as possible; sufficient quantities have been collected that can have major impacts on industry when used; and collections are used to promote industry or scientific objectives. It is important that the long term role of gene banks be understood and how it may take more than 20 years for samples to be used and impact future issues.