Protection against swine fever: Research team discovers new resistance mechanism
Researchers at the University of Lübeck publish a study in the journal Trends in Biotechnology about pigs that are resistant to swine fever through targeted genetic modification.
An international research team from the University of Lübeck and the Roslin Institute (The Royal School of Veterinary Studies) at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland has deliberately modified the genomes of pigs so that they are completely resistant to the classical swine fever virus (CSFV). This required a targeted change in a single protein, which the virus depends on for its replication. Infection experiments showed that the virus could not replicate in these pigs. The animals remained healthy after infection. The results open new perspectives for animal welfare and disease control and have now been published in the journal Trends in Biotechnology.
The classical swine fever virus is considered one of the most dangerous animal diseases worldwide. It causes severe outbreaks and can endanger pig herds in entire regions. A research team led by Prof. Dr. Norbert Tautz from the Institute of Virology and Cell Biology at the University of Lübeck has now discovered a crucial mechanism for permanently protecting pigs from this serious disease. The team found that the virus requires a specific protein in the pig's body, the so-called DNAJC14 protein, to replicate.
Targeted genetic modification makes pigs immune to pestiviruses
Together with researchers from the Roslin Institute in Scotland, they succeeded in specifically altering this tiny building block in the animals' genome in just one amino acid using the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technique. The pigs modified in this way showed no viral replication in infection tests and therefore no symptoms of disease. "We were able to use our precise knowledge of the interaction between animal pathogens and their hosts to protect the pigs from this dangerous pathogen using genome editing," explains Prof. Dr. Norbert Tautz from the University of Lübeck.
Accompanying laboratory studies also showed that the cells of the modified animals exhibited resistance to other pestiviruses, including the bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), which also causes significant economic damage. The modified pigs were healthy and showed no behavioral abnormalities. The study thus demonstrates for the first time in animals the central role of DNAJC14 in the replication of classic pestiviruses and paves the way for breeding infection-resistant livestock.
Significance for agriculture and animal welfare
The result demonstrates how modern research can help combat animal diseases sustainably without the use of drugs or mass culling during outbreaks. Pigs, which are naturally immune to dangerous viruses, could stabilize animal populations in the long term and significantly reduce the risk of epidemics.
As the first retail chain, REMA 1000 joins Danish Crown's climate program, which provides transpa...
Open for six months, the survey will give those working across the sector an important opportunit...
Today’s consumers expect high-quality, flavorful protein options in an increasingly competi...
