Animal Biotech Page 1

NSF Award # 0401988

ANIMAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

A Resource Guide for Biotechnology Club

Sponsors

This chapter contains background information,

experiment ideas and contact suggestions. Topics

covered include:

Animals in research

Clones

Transgenic animals

Animal health

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Animal Biotechnology

Animal biotechnology is a huge field of study and includes the following topics:

use of animals in research

clones

transgenic animals and gene pharming

animal health

Along with the scientific study, researchers must also deal with many tough scientific and

ethical challenges.

Use of Animals in Research Animals play a vital role in primary research. The use of animal models permits

more rapid assessment of the effects of new medical treatments and other products.

Computer models and in vitro studies of cell cultures are often used as supplements to

animal research, but they can't entirely duplicate the results in living organisms. Recent

developments in animal biotechnology have changed medicine, agriculture, and the

efforts to preserve endangered animals.

For a new product to be approved for human use, the manufacturer must first

demonstrate that it is safe for use. Trials are required on cell cultures, in live animals, and

on human subjects. Testing on live animal models requires that two or more species be

used because different effects are observed in different animals. If problems are detected

in the animal tests, human subjects are never recruited for trials. The animals used most

often are pure-bred mice and rats, but other species are also used. Another extremely

valuable research animal is the zebrafish, a hardy aquarium fish. Dogs are used for the

study of cancer, heart disease and lung disorders. HIV and AIDS research is conducted

on monkeys and chimpanzees.

Animal research is very heavily regulated. The Animal Welfare Act sets standards

concerning the housing, feeding, cleanliness and medical care of research animals.

Veterinarians also conduct research which has led to new cancer treatments for pets and

studies in their adaptations for humans.

Internet background:

Texas Cooperative Extension sponsored by Texas A&M University -- Brochures and

information. Most brochures can be downloaded and viewed for free. Click for web

snapshot. (Page 9)

http://texasextension.tamu.edu/

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Texas Agricultural Experiment Station. Good site for additional local contacts and

information. (Click for web snapshot). (Page 10)

http://taes.tamu.edu/

Animal welfare information center

http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/labanimals/lab.htm

Local Contacts:

Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists -- Area’s leading specialists in treating cancer in

dogs. They have many ongoing research projects and accept animals only on referral http://www.gcvs.com/oncology.

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Clones

Creating a clone of your favorite animal seems like a great way to insure your pet

will be with you forever. Although this might be a goal of cloning, it is not the primary

focus of biotech specialists. Commercialization of cloning allows desirable traits to be

reliably propagated. Animal breeders are able to clone animals with superior traits such

as cows with high milk production or champion racehorses.

Embryo twinning (splitting embryos in half) was the first method of cloning used

to produce identical twin cattle. Since the twins are the result of mixing the genetic

material from two parents, the exact genetic make-up of the animal is not known until it

has matured.

Dolly (the very famous sheep that was the first mammal ever cloned in the lab),

however, was created from a single cell, not an embryo. DNA from a donor cell is

inserted into an egg that has had its own DNA removed. It is a very delicate and difficult

process. So far, animals successfully cloned include sheep, goats, pigs, cattle, cats, deer

and dogs.

One can imagine future uses of cloning that could include using preserved DNA

to help maintain endangered species or even recover extinct species!

Internet background:

Information and animations: background information about cloning (Click for web

snapshot) Page 18

http://gslc.genetics.utah.edu/units/cloning/

Time magazine’s reports on cloning

http://www.time.com/time/newsfiles/cloning

Internet activity:

Cloning of a mouse. Very user friendly interactive activity (click for web snapshot)

Page 14 http://gslc.genetics.utah.edu/units/cloning/clickandclone/

Activity:

Watch Jurassic Park. The first movie in the series does a good job of explaining the

science behind cloning an animal.

Contacts:

TA&M Veterinary Department

http://www.cvm.tamu.edu/vaph/

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Transgenic Animals and Gene Pharming

Pharming: not just a misspelled word! The term "pharming" comes from a

combination of the words "farming" and "pharmaceuticals" - a blending of the basic

methods of agriculture with advanced biotechnology.

Gene pharming is a technology that scientists use to alter an animal's own DNA,

or to splice in new DNA, called a transgene, from another species. In pharming, these

genetically modified (transgenic) animals are mostly used to make human proteins that

have medicinal value. The protein encoded by the transgene is secreted into the animal's

milk, eggs or blood, and then collected and purified. Livestock such as cattle, sheep,

goats, chickens, rabbits and pigs have already been modified in this way to produce

several useful proteins and drugs.

A transgenic animal is one that carries a foreign gene that has been deliberately

inserted into its genome. The foreign gene is constructed using recombinant DNA

methodology. Two methods of producing transgenic animals are widely used: (1)

transforming embryonic stem cells (ES cells) growing in tissue culture with the desired

DNA and (2) injecting the desired gene into the pronucleus of a fertilized egg.

Desirable genes from one species are transferred to other animals or species to

improve the productivity of livestock. Faster growth rates, leaner growth patterns, more

resistance to disease, increased milk production, more efficient metabolism, and

transferring antimicrobial genes to farm animals are some of the goals of transgenic

animal researchers.

One interesting GMO organism that has been in the news lately is the “glowing

fish.” GloFish ™ fluorescent zebra fish were specially bred to help detect environmental

pollutants. Information about the GloFish ™ can be found at:

http://www.glofish.com/about.asp

Internet Resources:

Transgenic Animals: background information with graphics and links concerning

transgenic animals and the methods used to produce them.

http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/T/TransgenicAnimals.html

Genetic pharming explained in simple terms. Nice graphics and links. (Click for web

snapshot) Page 11

http://gslc.genetics.utah.edu/features/pharming

Information for high school students. Also has link for printing poster, Making a

Transgenic Animal (Click for web snapshot) Page 13

http://osms.otago.ac.nz/main/bursary/gmanimals.html#traits

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Publication:

Biotech Institute (a nonprofit organization located in Virginia): Publishes a magazine,

Your World, concerning biotechnology applications in healthcare, agriculture, the

environment and industry. Published for children in grades 9-12 and available as a

subscription. Some back issues can be downloaded for free. The website has links to

other biotech related sites. (Click for web snapshot) Page 12

http://www.biotechinstitute.org/resources/your_world_magazine.html

Computer Simulation: Virtual Fly Lab: The lab will familiarize students with the science and techniques used

to make transgenic flies. The program is very colorful, instructive and interactive. (Click

for information) Page 15

http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/

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Animal Health

Animal breeders are always interested in new techniques to increase the

frequency of desired characteristics. Zoos also serve as research centers for preservation

of endangered species.

Disease prevention and detection is another area where modern biotechnology can

make important contributions. Many animal diseases are very contagious and can be

economically devastating. Recombinant DNA technology may be the only way of

preventing some of the more widespread diseases found in developing countries. Some of

the diseases of concern are: dysentery, African horse sickness, bovine leucosis, foot-and-

mouth disease, mad cow disease, coccidiosis, trypanosomiasis, theileriosis and bird flu.

Internet resources:

Animal health background information

http://www.accessexcellence.org/RC/AB/BA/Animal_Health_Overview.html --

Diseases of farm animals: information and great pictures

http://www.iah.bbsrc.ac.uk/schools/factfiles.htm

Montgomery College Biotech Institute: information on bird flu

http://wwwappsmc.nhmccd.edu/biotech/news.htm

Local Contacts:

Montgomery County Extension Agency 9020 FM 1484

Airport Road

Conroe, TX 77303

Phone: 936-539-7822

Fax: 936-788-8394

Email: Montgomery-co.@tamu.edu

Houston Zoo

http://www.houstonzoo.org/

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Texas Longhorn Breeders Association of America

2315 N. Main Ste. 402, Fort Worth, TX 76106

PHONE (817) 625-6241 FAX (817) 625-1388

E-mail: tlbaa@tlbaa.org

American Brahman Breeders Association 3003 South Loop West, Suite 140

Houston, Texas 77054

713/349-0854

713/349-9795 FAX

abba@brahman.org EMAIL

Field Trips:

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo: Usually begins in late February or early March. It

features the latest in animal science. It can be fun, cost effective and educational.

Montgomery County Livestock Show: Closer to schools in the Conroe area

www.mcfa.org

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Return to text http://texasextension.tamu.edu/

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Return to text http://taes.tamu.edu/

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Return to text http://gslc.genetics.utah.edu/features/pharming

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Return to text

http://www.biotechinstitute.org/resources/your_world_magazine.html

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Return to text http://osms.otago.ac.nz/main/bursary/gmanimals.html#traits

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Return to text http://gslc.genetics.utah.edu/units/cloning/clickandclone/

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Return to text http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/

Transgenic Fly Lab

The transgenic fly lab will familiarize students with the science and techniques used to

make transgenic flies. Transgenic organisms, which contain DNA that is inserted

experimentally, are used to study many biological processes. In this lab, you will create a

transgenic fly to study circadian rhythms. The fly glows only when a certain gene

involved in circadian rhythms is activated. After making the glowing fly, students will

use it to explore basic principles of circadian biology and genetics.

Teachers can access more information on how this exercise can be used in classes.

Basic Steps

1. Make transgenic flies.

Prepare DNA that will be incorporated into the fly genome.

Prepare fly embryos.

Inject fly embryos with DNA.

Breed flies.

Select transgenic progeny.

Examine light output from transgenic adults.

2. Use transgenic flies to study circadian rhythms and genetics.

Measure per-luc gene expression (that is, light emissions) under

different light-dark conditions.

Examine different fly body parts for per-luc expression.

Learning Objectives

Understand how recombinant DNA technology is used to produce transgenic flies.

Use light production as an external marker of internal molecular events.

Explore the relationship between genes and behavior.

Understand how transgenic organisms can be used to explore complex biological

processes.

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Learn that all organisms contain an internal molecular clock that regulates daily

rhythms.

For teachers: This virtual laboratory exercise can be used as a supplement to your

existing curriculum or as a pre-lab to experiments related to those illustrated in the lab.

There are quiz questions embedded in the laboratory. These quizzes, designed to further

the user's understanding, can be used several ways. Your students may choose to submit

answers to the quizzes, or they may skip the questions. If you, the teacher, would like

assurance that the quiz questions have been answered, you may ask your students to print

out their responses.

The laboratory focuses on the production of transgenic flies that contain the period

promoter adjacent to the luciferase reporter gene. However, the techniques illustrated in

this virtual laboratory can be used to insert many different types of DNA constructs. You

may choose to expand the laboratory by having your students simulate the production of

other types of transgenic flies. You may investigate other genes involved in circadian

rhythms, such as the timeless gene for which tim-luc constructs have been made

(Stanewsky et al. 1998). Students may compare the tim-luc data with that of the per-luc

data. Teachers can also adapt this laboratory to study genes important in a wide range of

biological functions.

Researchers regularly use molecular biology sequence databases for many purposes,

including the design of constructs used in creating transgenic organisms. Embedded in

the laboratory (Part 1: Prepare DNA) is a short tutorial on the use of a few key resources

available through the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) at the

National Institute of Health (NIH). Students use these resources within the context of this

virtual lab to confirm that the sequence in the construct they are using is indeed from the

per promoter. You may want to expand your students' explorations of molecular biology

resources by following links to NCBI education sites. In addition to learning about

available NCBI resources, your students can learn about the per gene in humans and

relationships to human circadian biology disorders.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Class/MLACourse/Modules/cover_circadian_exercises.htm1

This exercise guides students through the development and analysis of hypothesis-driven

research problems. Students select and test a hypothesis by performing virtual

experiments and analyzing data. Data tables are completed and can be printed and turned

in to an instructor. Following the analysis of the data, students are asked questions about

their results and asked to evaluate their hypothesis. The exercises emphasize the

importance of analysis and interpretation, even when the hypothesis turns out to be

incorrect.

The laboratory may also be a starting point to discuss issues related to biotechnology.

What regulations are researchers required to follow when producing genetically

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engineered organisms? Should there be fewer or more regulations? What might happen if

one of the glowing flies was accidentally released into the wild?

Especially when the virtual lab is used as an exercise that precedes actual laboratory

experiments, different steps can be discussed in more detail. For example, in Part 5, when

the flies are being sorted, a few flies wake up and fly away from the microscope stage.

What could be done to keep the flies anesthetized for a longer period? A different

anesthetic, such as ether, could be used. Or, the stage could be re-designed so that CO2

flows in a compartment below the sorting stage, keeping the flies anesthetized.

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Return to text http://gslc.genetics.utah.edu/units/cloning/