GM animals account for more than half of scientific procedures

2014 ◽  
Vol 175 (4) ◽  
pp. 81-81
Keyword(s):  
Gm Animals

Welfare Phenotyping of Genetically-Modified Mice

2009 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-186
Author(s):  
Margaret Rose
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Gene Environment ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Matters Of Concern ◽  
And Function ◽  
Gm Animals ◽  
The Impact

Technologies that enable the targeted manipulation of the genome have created new opportunities to study the role and interplay of specific genes in both the regulation and function of physiological and behavioural processes and in the development of pathological conditions. Despite the potential benefits, there are ethical issues in relation to the application of these technologies, some of which relate to the impact on the welfare of the animals involved. Matters of concern include the methods involved in the derivation and production of genetically-modified (GM) animals and resulting phenotypes, where animal welfare is compromised. In the case of the latter, this may be the predicted consequence of the genetic modification, but the occurrence of unforeseen animal welfare complications is a major challenge in the management of GM animals. There has been a rapid escalation in the development of new GM lines, most of them involving mice. Databases of available lines have been developed by national and international consortia, and researchers have developed standard protocols to describe the phenotype of a new line; increasingly, such data are entered into these databases. The inclusion of animal welfare assessments with these data would provide a powerful and sophisticated tool to promote refinement. The scope, level and frequency of monitoring would facilitate the identification of unpredicted effects and the management of humane endpoints, and would identify opportunities to manage the animals so as to ameliorate negative impacts. Furthermore, by highlighting the subtleties of gene–environment interactions, such data have wider implications in achieving the goals of refinement.

scholarly journals Labeling of genetically modified food: Closer to reality in the United States?

2013 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anton E. Wohlers
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
The United States ◽  
Food Labeling ◽  
Genetically Modified Food ◽  
Policy Debate ◽  
Gm Food ◽  
Regulatory Changes ◽  
Gm Animals ◽  
Near Future

Within the broader context of several related biotech developments, including the proliferation of GM food in American grocery stories, the recent decision by Whole Foods Market, Inc. to require the labeling of all genetically modified (GM) organism products sold in its stores by 2018, and the development of GM animals for consumption, this essay asks whether the United States is inching towards a policy of mandatory GM food labeling. The analysis highlights aspects of the biotechnology policy debate in the United States and European Union, and traces public opinion as well as grassroots and legislative efforts aimed at GM food labeling. Findings show that activities at the federal level do not suggest any major regulatory changes regarding labeling in the near future; however, a growing number of individual states are considering GM food labeling legislation and political momentum in favor of labeling has picked up in recent years. Voluntary labeling by food companies may also become increasingly common.

scholarly journals Genetic Modification of Animals: Potential benefits and concerns

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 163-174
Author(s):  
David A. Mbah ◽  
Chi Lawrence Tawah ◽  
Magellan Guewo-Fokeng
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Engineering ◽  
Genetic Modification ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
Targeted Analysis ◽  
Genotype Frequencies ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
And Migration ◽  
La Modification ◽  
Gm Animals

Genetic modification (GM), a process whereby gene and genotype frequencies are changed among individuals of each generation, is driven by  natural and artificial forces. Natural forces include mutation, fitness and migration/introgression, while artificial forces include selection,  crossbreeding and transgenesis/genetic engineering. Genetic modification, driven by natural forces, is essentially adaptive, while modification driven by artificial forces is controlled by human intervention aimed at meeting food, health and other needs. Conventional genetic modification, under sexual reproduction within species, produces both beneficial and negative effects. Modern genetic modification – interspecific exchange of genes using genetic engineering – has beneficial and negative effects as well, which are at varying degrees depending on the species involved. Control/management systems/mechanisms are developed and applied to enable societal benefits while minimizing/preventing negative effects of conventional and modern genetic modification. Targeted analysis of selected nutrients in animal products is made on a case-by-case basis to test substantial equivalence of any compositional changes resulting from genetic modification. Unique identifiers are established to track GM animals and their products in the food chain. Modification génétique, processus par lequel les fréquences des gènes et des génotypes sont changes parmi les individus de chaque génération, est entraînée par des forces naturelles et artificielles. Les forces naturelles incluent la mutation, compétence de mère/père pour se  reproduire/survivre et la migration / introgression. Les forces artificielles comprennent la sélection, le croisement et la transgénèse / génie génétique. La modification génétique entraînée par les forces naturelles est essentiellement adaptative, tandis que celle entraînée par les forces artificielles est contrôlée par une intervention humaine visant à répondre aux besoins alimentaires, sanitaires et autres. La modification génétique conventionnelle, lors de la reproduction sexuelle au sein des espèces, produit des effets à la fois bénéfiques et négatifs. Modification génétique moderne - échange interspécifique de gènes par génie génétique - a également des effets bénéfiques et négatifs mais à des degrés divers selon les espèces impliquées. Des systèmes / mécanismes de contrôle / gestion sont développés et appliqués pour permettre des avantages pour la société tout en minimisant / empêchant les effets négatifs des modifications génétiques conventionnelles et modernes. Une analyse ciblée de nutriments sélectionnés dans les produits d’origine animale est effectuée au cas par cas afin de tester l’équivalence substantielle de tout changement de composition résultant d’une modification génétique. Des identifiants uniques sont établis pour suivre les animaux GM et leurs produits dans la chaîne alimentaire.

scholarly journals Bold call for more GM animals

2001 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. R451
Author(s):  
Nigel Williams
Keyword(s):  
Gm Animals

scholarly journals A HISTOLOGIC STUDY OF THE AUTO-ALLERGIC TESTIS LESION IN THE GUINEA PIG

1959 ◽  
Vol 109 (3) ◽  
pp. 311-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Byron H. Waksman
Keyword(s):  
Connective Tissue ◽  
Guinea Pig ◽  
Inflammatory Disease ◽  
Guinea Pigs ◽  
Testicular Atrophy ◽  
Seminiferous Tubules ◽  
Germinal Cell ◽  
Histologic Study ◽  
Cellular Infiltrate ◽  
Gm Animals

The auto-allergic lesion in guinea pigs inoculated with homologous testis plus the Freund adjuvant was investigated histologically. The lesion was found to consist of disseminated foci of perivenous inflammation, lymphocytes and histiocytes predominating in the cellular infiltrate, with invasion of epididymal, rete, and seminiferous tubules and destruction of tubular contents. Guinea pigs up to 800 gm. showed a rapidly progressing diffuse hypo- or aspermatogenesis, which appeared to be secondary to the inflammatory disease. In these animals, the process resolved leaving an atrophic testis with few or no indications of the preceding inflammation and fibrotic scarring only in the rare instances in which actual necrosis of connective tissue elements had occurred. In 1200 gm. animals there was no general hypospermatogenesis and the late findings were limited to foci of aspermatogenesis. This disease then is an experimental auto-allergic orchitis followed by testicular atrophy without scarring. Its morphologic similarity to mumps orchitis and to sterility with "germinal cell aplasia" in man is commented on.

The current state of GMO governance: Are we ready for GM animals?

2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 1336-1343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Núria Vàzquez-Salat ◽  
Brian Salter ◽  
Greet Smets ◽  
Louis-Marie Houdebine
Keyword(s):  
Current State ◽  
Gm Animals

19 Comparative Evaluation of Human-edible Animal Products Derived from Offspring of Genome Edited and Control Cattle

2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 11-12
Author(s):  
Josehine F Trott ◽  
Amy E Young ◽  
Bret R McNabb ◽  
Xiang Yang ◽  
Thomas F Bishop ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bovine Milk ◽  
Milk Composition ◽  
Proximate Analysis ◽  
Nutritional Composition ◽  
Comparative Approach ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
Underlying Assumption ◽  
A Genome ◽  
Meat Samples ◽  
Gm Animals

Abstract Risk assessments of genetically modified (GM) animals include evaluating whether milk and meat derived from the GM animal is as nutritious to humans and/or animals as traditionally-bred animals. The underlying assumption of this comparative approach is that traditionally-bred animals have a well-established history of safe use. The goal of this project was to provide empirical data on the development and nutritional composition of animal products derived from the offspring of a genome edited dairy bull, homozygous for the dominant PC Celtic POLLED allele. The bull was crossed with horned Hereford (HH) cows (pp) to obtain five male and one female heterozygous hornless (RC) calves. Hereford, Angus and Holstein bulls were also bred to Hereford cows to produce five HH calves, two polled Angus/Hereford (AH) calves, and three horned Holstein/Hereford (HO) calves (with 25% genetic identity to the hornless offspring), respectively as contemporary controls. Weights were recorded at 8 months, 1 year and slaughter (n = 9–16). Following calving, individual quarters of the RC heifer (RC.calf1), one HO heifer (HO.calf2), two horned HH heifers, and one contemporaneous hornless AH cow (3113) were milked at varying timepoints during the first seven weeks of lactation. Meat samples were collected from the 6 hornless RC calves and 3 horned HO comparator offspring after slaughter. Proximate analysis was conducted for meat and milk samples. Cattle that inherited a POLLED allele from the genome-edited bull showed no differences in their overall growth (Figure 1) or meat composition (Figure 2) when compared to contemporary controls. Milk composition varied between animals and by days in milk (DIM), although values were within the normal range reported in peer-reviewed literature (Figure 3). Bovine milk composition is known to be influenced by breed, nutrition, parity, and DIM, making it difficult to obtain appropriate comparators in experiments with a limited number of GM animals.

scholarly journals Hybridization between genetically modified Atlantic salmon and wild brown trout reveals novel ecological interactions

2013 ◽  
Vol 280 (1763) ◽  
pp. 20131047 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krista B. Oke ◽  
Peter A. H. Westley ◽  
Darek T. R. Moreau ◽  
Ian A. Fleming
Keyword(s):  
Atlantic Salmon ◽  
Interspecific Hybridization ◽  
Brown Trout ◽  
Salmo Trutta ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Transgenic Animals ◽  
Wild Populations ◽  
Environmental Consequences ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
Gm Animals

Interspecific hybridization is a route for transgenes from genetically modified (GM) animals to invade wild populations, yet the ecological effects and potential risks that may emerge from such hybridization are unknown. Through experimental crosses, we demonstrate transmission of a growth hormone transgene via hybridization between a candidate for commercial aquaculture production, GM Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ) and closely related wild brown trout ( Salmo trutta ). Transgenic hybrids were viable and grew more rapidly than transgenic salmon and other non-transgenic crosses in hatchery-like conditions. In stream mesocosms designed to more closely emulate natural conditions, transgenic hybrids appeared to express competitive dominance and suppressed the growth of transgenic and non-transgenic (wild-type) salmon by 82 and 54 per cent, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of environmental impacts of hybridization between a GM animal and a closely related species. These results provide empirical evidence of the first steps towards introgression of foreign transgenes into the genomes of new species and contribute to the growing evidence that transgenic animals have complex and context-specific interactions with wild populations. We suggest that interspecific hybridization be explicitly considered when assessing the environmental consequences should transgenic animals escape to nature.

Attitudes towards genetically modified animals in food production

2014 ◽  
Vol 116 (8) ◽  
pp. 1291-1313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynn J. Frewer ◽  
David Coles ◽  
Louis-Marie Houdebine ◽  
Gijs A. Kleter
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Public Opinion ◽  
Food Production ◽  
English Language ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Consumer Attitudes ◽  
Systematic Review Methodology ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gm Animals

Purpose – Food products developed using genetically modified (GM) animals may soon be introduced in Europe and beyond. Their successful commercialisation depends on consumer acceptance, and so it is timely to review the existing literature in this respect. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – A systematic review identified 42 English language peer reviewed papers assessing public opinion of GM animals associated with food production. Thematic analysis was applied to the results to identify and explain consumer attitudes. Findings – Publication peaked in 2004, and declined thereafter. European consumers were less accepting of GM animal technology than the US and Asian consumers, although the latter reported more ethical concern. Risk and benefit perceptions, ethical concerns (e.g. related to animal welfare) may explain negative consumer attitudes towards animals in food production. Research limitations/implications – There is a lack of data on consumer attitudes to GM animals applied to food production, in particular in relation to consumers in emerging economies and developing countries. This is problematic as applications of GM animal products are about to enter the market. Practical implications – There is a need to track changes in public opinion as GM food production animals are further developed. The introduction and commercialisation of applications with specific characteristics may further shape consumer attitudes. Social implications – Methods need to be developed to involve consumers and other stakeholders in shaping future applications of agri-food applications of GM animals. Originality/value – The review collates existing quantitative and qualitative knowledge regarding the drivers of consumer attitudes towards GM animals used in food production using systematic review methodology.

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