SPERM-MEDIATED DNA TRANSFER IN BOVINE AND SWINE SPECIES

Ejaculated sperm cells from both bovine and swine animals depleted of the seminal fluid were used as vectors for transferring different plas mid DNAs into eggs during the fertilization process. PCR screening of about 2000 blastocysts showed that transformed embryos were obtained i n both animal species with varying efficiencies, and that the rate of transformation depended on the plasmid used. The most efficient rate w as obtained in both species with the pSV2CAT construct, yielding 22% p ositive blastocysts in bovine and 5.7% in swine respectively. Artifici al insemination of ten sows with boar sperm cells that had been preinc ubated with pSV2CAT DNA produced 82 offspring. Southern blot analysis of the DNAs extracted from the animal tails showed that five animals w ere transgenic and contained sequences complementary to pSV2CAT DNA th at appeared to be rearranged compared to the original plasmid, These r esults indicate that sperm-mediated DNA transfer protocols can be succ essfully adapted for the generation of genetically transformed livesto ck.