Enviropig

Pork is very popular!

Closing Statements

Reduced

Phosphorus

Reduced

Nitrogen

• Annual consumption pork 112.6 kilotons

• Pig manure contains excess phosporous (P) & nitrogen (N)

• P & N in excess is a pollutant for plants inducing micronutrient deficiencies

• Run-off creates eutrophic bodies of water:

-> overgrowth of blue-green algae

-> death of aqautic animals

- Thoughts on the Enviropig?

- Could the experimental plan be used in other animals?

Method A

Method B

Enviro-Pig

Porcine fetal fibroblast cells

+

TG piggyBac transposon vector

+

piggyBac transposase expression vector

DNA extracted from E.Coli (phytase gene) ​

Cloning of this gene ​

Addition of mouse promoter gene ​

Gene modified for expression ​

Transformation of cells into pig embryo using micro-injection.​

Cause & Effect

Nik, Harrison, Mevin, Hendrix, James & Jess ​

25 piglets with the pGLO + transgene

5 piglets w/ gene in random spot

19 of the 20 correctly transfected pigs had 1x gene copy

• Pigs' main food source --> Grains, Soybeans, Peas
• Plant phytates & non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) form around 80% of total phosphorus present
• Pigs lack enzymes to digest phytates
• Only 1/3 of ingested P & N are digested

Future Directions

As of 2020, there is a new GMO pig called ‘GalSafe’ (prevents allergic reactions) pigs, which now join salmon as the only genetically modified organisms approved for human consumption in the United States.

Growing need for food + Unsustainable agriculture industry = More GMOs for the future?

GM pigs able to secrete salivary bacterial phytases, reducing P by ~75%

51% excreted

70% excreted

The acceptance of the Galsafe pig and GMO salmon shows a change in societies mentality towards GMOs

Hopefully in the future there will be a replacement for the Enviropig or a new sponsor.

Methodology

Looking To The Past Before The Future

Researchers:

Funding:

• National Science and Technology Major Project for Transgenic Breeding - Zhenfang wu

• No role in study design, data collection and interpretation

• Xianwei Zhang et al.

• College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China

• National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Yunfu, China

Notable resources:

Main techniques used:

Cell mediated genetic modification

Pro-nuclear DNA microinjection + vector

2010

Enviropigs are close behind GMO salmon in making it to the market

2010 - 2012

A new line of enviropigs are created - the “cassie” line

• 2 main techniques:

• Molecular cloning

April 2012:

Enviropig is halted due funding being revoked + Anti GMO protesting

“It’s time to stop the program until the rest of the world catches up... And it is going to catch up.” - Cecil Forsberg

• pCDNA3.1+or pcDNA6.0
• Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA, USA

• BgEgXyAp - fusion of 4 desired genes
• Genscript (Nanjing, China)