They use gene editing to create chickens that are resistant to bird flu: new scientific discovery

Scientists believe bird flu can be transmitted to humans and become a new epidemic, so there are major research work to fight it; that goal may be closer to being achieved through gene editing to breed chickens that are resistant to the disease.

A study published today in the journal nature communications It was concluded that editing a protein necessary for the development of avian influenza in chickens, called ANP32A, and suppressing two of its associated genes (ANP32B and ANP32E) in cells, Prevents viruses from replicating from one animal to another

.

“Avian influenza is widespread in Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas, especially South America, Worried it could reach Antarctica“Mike McGrew, a researcher at the University of Edinburgh, explained at a press conference introducing the study.

McGrew recalled that the virus posed a threat to wild bird species, caused huge economic losses to livestock farmers, and posed a threat to human health; in fact, it had caused human deaths.

A few years ago, Wendy Barclay, a scientist at Imperial College London and an author on the study, isolated the virus’s host protein and gave The first step in breeding disease-resistant chickens

same.

Now, researchers have successfully edited this protein in chicken germ cells to minimize the activity of influenza A.

“We found that adult chickens carrying the edited ANP32A protein were able to resist physiological doses of influenza A (from other infected birds) and showed better recovery from the disease,” McGrew said.

In addition, chicken They have a follow-up phase of more than two years After receiving a dose of the virus, they experienced no health problems associated with it, nor did it affect their egg production.

“We believe that additional editing of this protein in chicken cells and deletion of two other related genes (ANP32B and ANP32E) Will prevent virus replication

” Barclays said at the same press conference.

Scientists believe that research must continue to ensure that the health of animals is not affected by this gene editing, and to continue to verify whether this editing can effectively eliminate the possibility of viral evolution.