By: Prof. Dr. Mohammed Ali Maki Jassem Al-Rubaie - Iraq
Chickens have been the focus of vertebrate embryology research for several decades, as their embryos are fertilized internally and then accurately loaded into eggs, providing easy access to developmental stages for groundbreaking manipulative experiments. Thanks to many emerging techniques, such as electroporation in vivo, stem cell research tools, innovative methods for genetically modified animals, and accessible genomic sequencing resources, the chick embryo has become a more robust model.
This adds to its extensive and notable history as an important scientific model system. Over the past thirty years, various research entities have opened doors to the development of genetically modified chickens. The adoption of genetically modified chickens as a model for many fields of study, including behavior, developmental biology, immunology, physiology, and neuroscience, has recently gained significant importance in the avian research community.
With the advent of genome editing tools, there has been an increasing potential for developing genetically modified poultry resistant to certain infectious diseases. Numerous studies have shown that genetically modified chicken genomes hold tremendous promise for enhancing poultry production and providing a major driver for synthetic protein formation. A genetically modified organism (GMO) is one that has undergone genetic engineering techniques to incorporate a part of DNA from another species into its genome. Genetically modified methods have reportedly been developed to produce birds that express recombinant human proteins in their eggs and specific tissue genes as a model for avians. It is believed that implementing effective methods for genetically modified chicks contributes to industrial applications in livestock breeding, as well as expanding our knowledge of avian biology. The development of breed-specific traits in the chicken genome is likely to be significantly affected by artificial selection. Artificial selective breeding, where superior natural variations are chosen to generate subsequent generations of organisms with the goal of transmitting superiority to offspring, is the oldest known form of genome modification that became genetically regulated after Mendel's discovery of the laws of inheritance.
This serves as a testament to the effectiveness of classical artificial selection, where many distinct and stable breeds have been developed and produced worldwide. Selective breeding has altered the genetic makeup of chickens to achieve favorable phenotypes and biological traits, enhancing their adaptability to specific production environments. Advances in breeding and biotechnology have bolstered research and industry efforts to enhance animal welfare and productivity. With the flourishing of germline cell culture, genome editing, and genetically modified techniques, altering the chicken genome has become easier and more practical. This has led to a recent surge in the use of various genome editing methods in chickens, which can result in deletions, insertions, and base substitutions. For the purpose of studying genetic circuits, it would be extremely beneficial to establish resource lines designed for the genome that are easily accessible. This review aims to identify various aspects of genetically modified poultry and how they can be utilized to control the synthesis of recombinant therapeutic proteins.
