Researchers in South Korea have found a way to address a genetic mutation in large dogs that affects their ability to move freely.
Labrador Retrievers are known for their friendly, outgoing and high-spirited demeanor, which also makes them one of the world’s favorite dogs. But all too often these dogs are born with a genetic deformity in the hips that leads to them being abandoned.
Hip dysplasia is a result of a mutation that causes abnormal formation of the hip socket. More common in larger dogs like the Labrador Retriever and the German Shepherd breeds, this mutation occurs during inbreeding.
Now, a S. Korea research team has successfully cloned a dog where the gene that causes the hip abnormality has been corrected in what is a world first.
The research team first collected skin cells from the ear of an 18-month-old Labrador Retriever.
Then, using a fourth-generation genome editing technology called ‘prime editing’, a single strand of DNA was cut out and corrected sequencing for the mutant gene was inserted.
After that, a technique called ‘somatic cell nuclear transfer’ was used where the nucleus of a corrected cell was injected into an egg that had already had its nucleus removed.
Meet 18-month-old pups Jean and Jenny, Jenny is the cloned Retriever born after genome editing was completed.
X-ray imaging shows an abnormality in the hip socket of the original dog, which has been corrected in the images of the cloned dog as a result of the genetic modification.
Prime Editor is a fourth-generation genome editing technology. Researchers did an experiment to see if we could edit the mutation to a normal status. Only 18 months old but research team sees that the correction was successful and the dog can walk normally.
The findings of this research were published in the online edition of the international academic journal “Scientific Report”.
The research team explained that this genetic disease correction technology can be used for larger working dogs with duties like detecting, rescue, or assistance. The team is also furthering research to correct a genetic retinal disease that’s common in smaller dogs.
Source: Lee Eunjin, Arirang News.