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BAC mediated transgenic Large White boars with FSHα/β genes from Chinese Erhualian pigs

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Abstract

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is a critical hormone regulating reproduction in mammals. Transgenic mice show that overexpression of FSH can improve female fecundity. Using a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) system and somatic cell nuclear transfer, we herein generated 67 Large White transgenic (TG) boars harboring FSHα/β genes from Chinese Erhualian pigs, the most prolific breed in the world. We selected two F0 TG boars for further breeding and conducted molecular characterization and biosafety assessment for F1 boars. We showed that 8–9 copies of exogenous FSHα and 5–6 copies of exogenous FSHβ were integrated into the genome of transgenic pigs. The inheritance of exogenous genes conforms to the Mendel’s law of segregation. TG boars had higher levels of serum FSH, FSHα mRNA in multiple tissues, FSHβ protein in pituitary and more germ cells per seminiferous tubule compared with their wild-type half sibs without any reproductive defects. Analysis of growth curve, hematological and biochemical parameters and histopathology illustrated that TG boars grew healthily and normally. By applying 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we demonstrated that exogenous genes had no impact on the bacterial community structures of pig guts. Moreover, foreign gene drift did not occur as verified by horizontal gene transfer. Our findings indicate that overexpression of FSH could improve spermatogenesis ability of boars. This work provides insight into the effect of FSHα/β genes on male reproductive performance on pigs by a BAC-mediated transgenic approach.

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Acknowledgments

This project was supported by National Key Research Program of China (2014ZX08006-005).

Author contributions

All authors read and approved the final manuscript. J.R. and Y.X. designed and conceived the experiment, and revised the manuscript; P.X., K.J., Q.L., Q.Y. and M.B., performed the experiment; C.J., X.W., C.W., L.L., C.Q. and H.G. contributed reagents and materials; P.X. analyzed the data, prepared the figures and drafted the manuscript.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. State Key Laboratory for Pig Genetic Improvement and Production Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, People’s Republic of China

      Pan Xu, Kai Jiang, Qiang Yang, Chao Jiang, Xiaopeng Wang, Chengbin Wang, Longyun Li, Chuanmin Qiao, Huanfa Gong, Yuyun Xing & Jun Ren

    2. State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China

      Qiuyan Li & Mingjun Bi

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    1. Pan Xu
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    Correspondence to Yuyun Xing.

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    Pan Xu and Qiuyan Li have contributed equally to this study.

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    Xu, P., Li, Q., Jiang, K. et al. BAC mediated transgenic Large White boars with FSHα/β genes from Chinese Erhualian pigs. Transgenic Res 25, 693–709 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11248-016-9963-3

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