Transgenesis and gene edition in small ruminants / Transgênese e edição gênica em pequenos ruminantes

ABSTRACT

This review summarizes the main achievements with the use of transgenesis and genome editingtechnologies in sheep and goats. Transgenesis, also referred to as recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology, madepossible by the first time 30 years ago the addition of novel traits from a given species into a different one. Onthe other hand, more recently genome editing appears a much more precise method of making changes to thegenome of a plant, animal, or other living organism, allowing for the addition, substitution, or deletion ofspecific nucleotides in an organism’s genome. With transgenesis, the introduction of new DNA into anorganism’s genome was generally without control of the site of the genome in which the insertion of that rDNAconstruct would occur. With genome editing in contrast, researchers and developers of products can makespecific changes in precise locations of the genome. This concept was absolutely improved with the novelCRISPR/Cas system, making genome edition cheaper, more efficient, easier and affordable for every Laboratoryaround the world. This revolution that originally emerged from molecular biology and passed to biomedicine,has recently been applied to livestock and agriculture. In addition, the application of this technology in sheep,goats, pigs and cattle, also has been possible by the advance of assisted reproductive technologies for embryoproduction, micromanipulation, cryopreservation and transfer. In general, multidisciplinary approaches includingbasic research and technical improvements, participation of private actors and adequate regulation should bemerged to take advantage of this potent biotechnology in different countries.