CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing in the livestock industry: A promising addition to current breeding programs

Huitema, Y.M.A. (2017) CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing in the livestock industry: A promising addition to current breeding programs. Master's Thesis / Essay, Biomedical Sciences.

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Abstract

Livestock plays an important role in the agriculture industry. Currently, selective breeding is used to produce offspring with specific trait, to increase profits and decrease production costs. Disadvantages of selective breeding are that it guaranteed. The aim of this essay is to investigate whether the genome editing method CRISPR-Cas9 can be an addition to current breeding programs. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) is a DNA sequence in bacteria and archaea. The sequence includes spacers, which come from invading viral genomic sequences. In combination with CRISPR associated (Cas) proteins, it functions as a prokaryotic antiviral mechanism. CRISPR-Cas9 is a site specific genome editing method, which is used for gene knock out, knock in or altering. CRISPR-Cas9 is currently used for several livestock applications. These include applications in animal welfare, disease resistance and performance. The advantages of CRISPR-Cas9 are the efficiency, simplicity, low costs and sensitivity, compared to selective breeding. Limitations of CRISPR-Cas9 are off target effects, formation of mosaic animals and ranging efficiencies. Currently transgenic animals are not approved for the market, but CRISPR-Cas9 is a promising method to increase food production, reduce pandemics and reduce pollution of livestock animals. To conclude, CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing has big potential to be used in combination with the current breeding programs in the livestock industry.

Item Type:	Thesis (Master's Thesis / Essay)
Degree programme:	Biomedical Sciences
Thesis type:	Master's Thesis / Essay
Language:	English
Date Deposited:	15 Feb 2018 08:33
Last Modified:	15 Feb 2018 08:33
URI:	https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/16219

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