Genetically modified chickens may beat bird flu virus: scientists

Avian influenza epidemics among domestic poultry pose a serious threat to food security and human health. So far vaccines and biosecurity measures have not been able to properly control the transmission of virus.

According to ABC Science, scientists from Britain's Cambridge University and the Roslin Institute at the University of Edinburgh have successfully developed genetically modified chickens that do not transmit the avian influenza virus to other birds. This could potentially stop the virus from spreading within poultry flocks.

The research team developed transgenic chickens by introducing a new gene into them.

The gene contained a short-hairpin Ribonucleic acid (RNA) designed to act as a decoy to interfere with the influenza virus polymerase, the material which contains the virus' genetic coding. The decoy inhibits and blocks the virus' ability to propagate itself.

University of Sydney of Australia's Auriol Purdie, who worked with the Roslin Institute on the project explained that the modified genetic material was micro-injected into fertilized chicken eggs, and the eggs were then hatched.

"The RNA molecule that was inserted is homologous (similar) to viral polymerase. So the virus sees it and binds to it, and this prevents the viral polymerase from activating, and that therefore inhibits the viral replication," Purdie told ABC Science on Friday.

The transgenic chickens that were infected with the flu became sick, but did not pass the infection to other chickens in the same pen, even if the other birds were not genetically modified.

However, Purdie said the scientists were still trying to ascertain that genetic modification can be used to alter the susceptibility of chickens to avian influenza virus, and that the technique cannot yet be regarded as a failsafe weapon against bird flu. Kazinform cites Xinhua. See www.xinhuanet.com for full version