Chinese-American biologist successfully breeds double-gene transfer cloned pig

The University of Connecticut in the United States announced recently that renowned Chinese-American biologist Yang Xiangzhong, in cooperation with the scientific research department of Taiwan, China, has bred the world's first double-gene transfer cloned pig carrying human coagulation factor IX and porcine lactoferrin. This research achievement is expected to be used to treat hemophilia. According to Yang Xiangzhong, a professor at the University of Connecticut, this research was conducted under extreme secrecy by his research team in cooperation with the Taiwan Animal Technology Research Institute. The first cloned pig was born on February 15 this year at the Taiwan Animal Research Institute, and then the second and third cloned pigs were also born. These cloned pigs are currently in good health.

According to a Xinhua News Agency report, the somatic cells used to breed this batch of cloned pigs came from the ear of a double-gene transfer sow. The milk of this sow can produce coagulation factor IX and porcine lactoferrin. The cause of human hemophilia is precisely the lack of coagulation factor IX. The milk produced by the cloned pigs, after biotechnological processing, is expected to be used to treat hemophilia. Porcine lactoferrin, meanwhile, has the function of inhibiting bacteria and enhancing immunity, can resist inflammation and help growth, and at the same time helps prevent pig diarrhea, thereby increasing the pig survival rate. Yang Xiangzhong explained that whether the cloned offspring of this double-gene transfer pig will produce these two proteins in their milk like the donor sow still awaits further research and observation. Yang Xiangzhong said that his cloning team spent nearly three years conducting research on cloning transgenic pigs, and finally developed an efficient cloning method.