Generation, characterization and risk assessment of transgenic Tilapia with accelerated growth

Biotecnologia Aplicada 1996 Volume 13 No. 3, pp.221-230 Generation, characterization and risk assessment of transgenic Tilapia with accelerated growth Jose de la Fuente, Oscar Hernandez, Rebeca Martinez, Isabel Guillen, Mario Pablo Estrada and Ricardo Lleonart Code Number:BA96098 Size of Files: Text: 51.6K Graphics: Line drawings (gif) - 14.7K ABSTRACT Marine Biotechnology is a fast developing area in modern Biotechnology. Recent advances in gene transfer has offered the possibility to manipulate growth in fish through the transfer of chimeric growth hormone (GH) genes. We have generated several transgenic tilapia lines by the transfer of constructs containing the tilapia GH cDNA or chromosomal gene. A transgenic tilapia line with accelerated growth was obtained and characterized. The risks associated with the work in transgenic fish and shellfish were evaluated and measures were taken to conduct new experiments before introducing transgenic tilapia into the national aquaculture program. Key words: transgenic, fish, tilapia, hormone RESUMEN La biotecnologia marina es un area de rapido desarrollo dentro de la Biotecnologia moderna. Los avances recientes en las tecnicas de transferencia de genes han posibilitado la manipulacion del crecimiento en peces mediante la transferencia de genes de hormona de crecimiento (HC) quimericos. Nosotros hemos generado varias lineas de tilapia transgenicas mediante la transferencia de construcciones que contienen el ADNc o el gen cromosomal que codifica para la HC de tilapia. Se obtuvo y caracterizo una linea de tilapia transgenica con mayor velocidad de crecimiento. Los riesgos asociados con el trabajo con peces transgenicos fueron evaluados y se tomaron medidas para realizar nuevos experimentos antes de introducir las tilapias transgenicas en los planes de desarrollo acuicola del pais. Palabras claves: transgenesis, peces, tilapia, hormona Copyright 1996 Elfos Scientia