ANIMAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

A Resource Guide for Biotechnology Club Sponsors

NSF Award # 0401988

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 -- Areas 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 magazines 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 Animal Biotech Page 5

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-andmouth 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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http://texasextension.tamu.edu/

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http://taes.tamu.edu/

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

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

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

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

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