Eggs with anti-cancer enzymes on the way

South Korean scientists successfully produced a chicken, which inherited a fluorescent character from its green-tinged transgenic father, opening the way to mass-producing biomedical substances such as cancer-fighting enzymes.

Since genomic incorporation can be passed down to offsprings, the next step would be to infuse other genes into hens, which will lay eggs with pharmaceutical proteins or anti-cancer enzymes.

The green fluorescent protein (GFP) successfully passed on is a green marker gene found in jellyfish. It is frequently used as a reporter of gene expression to confirm that GFP was effectively implanted into the gene.

When viewed in blue light or ultraviolet light, the greenish tint of the chicken starts to glow with torch-light brightness.

Currently, intensive research is underway to obtain therapeutic substances through other transgenic animals, such as pigs, mice and fish. But chicken eggs are composed of just eight kinds of proteins, making it easy to extract certain therapeutic materials. And because they can lay eggs six months after hatching, mass production is possible in a short time.

Via The Korea Times.