Sperm Mediated Gene Transfer In Goats: Sperm Parameters And Efficiencies Of Binding Exogenous DNA

The modification of animals and the genome of animals can serve both research and applied purposes. The spontaneous capability of sperm cells binding exogenous DNA molecules and internalizing them into nuclei can be exploited by using spermatozoa as vectors for delivering foreign genetic information to eggs during fertilization. The genetically modified animals can be generated using this method with variable degrees of success. Sperm-mediated gene transfer (SMGT) appears to be simple, efficient, relatively inexpensive and applicable to every species using spermatozoa for its owm propagation; it can be used in species refractory to microinjection, whenever reproduction is mediated by gametes. DNA uptake by the mammalian spermatozoa is a very specific and hign regulated phenomenon. A considerable amount of research performed since then has revealed some unexpected aspects of sperms, which suggest that such an attractive route to transgenesis may not be so easy but could be still be available if only the underlying mechanisms were understood. The sperm parameters, such as sperm donor, plasma membrane, sperm quality, and the treatment methods could affect the efficiency and the ability of sperm in picking up exogenous DNA and internalizing the DNA into sperm nuclei, as well as the vector style and transfection methods. However, the stable integration of exogenous genes into the genome of adult animals mediated by sperm cells is a very rare event. At present there are not enough data to understand the effect of sperm parameters on the efficiencies of spermatozoa binding exogenous DNA.This study was carried out in order to establish technical protocols of sperm-mediated gene transfer for goats, to improve the efficiency of spermatozoa transfection and transgenic kids, and to evaluate the sperm parameter effect on the efficiency and the ability of sperm taking up exogenous DNA.In the first part, the developmental changes of the efficient on spermatozoa of different goat breeds in binding exogenous DNA were determined. The ejaculates of three to four...