Author: Sun Bo.
According to Michael Le Page of the British magazine New Scientist, the international breeding company Genus has used CRISPR technology to genetically edit pigs so that they can avoid porcine reproductive and respiratory disorders syndrome (PRRS). The company says it has produced hundreds of CRISPR gene-edited pigs. Genus hopes the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will approve its antiviral pigs by the end of this year or early 2025. The company is also seeking approval from other countries, including China, Colombia and Mexico, to import U.S. pork.
Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), also known as PRRS. Since it was first identified in the United States in 1987, PRRS has become a significant threat to the global swine industry. PRRS only infects pigs and can be infected in pigs of all breeds, ages and uses, but gestation sows and piglets under 1 month of age are most susceptible. In addition, the virus can cause a decrease in the immune system of pigs.
According to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), PRRS causes 5$600 million in losses. Although there is a corresponding vaccine, it is not guaranteed to be 100% effective.
If all goes according to plan, genus hopes to start selling genetically modified pigs in the next few years, and it is only a matter of time before PRRS is completely eradicated. With the advent of CRISPR gene-edited pigs, the swine industry will undergo a series of profound changes that will have a significant impact on people's eating habits, pig research, drug use, and the ecological environment.
First of all, as the advantages of CRISPR gene-edited pigs gradually emerge, more large pig companies will choose to raise this kind of pig, that is, people have to choose to eat this kind of pork, and whether this kind of pork is harmful to the human body will take a long time to appear.
Second, the emergence of CRISPR gene-edited pigs will trigger an "industry-university-research" based on PRRS**Many companies and experts who focus on PRRS and other diseases may adjust their research directions. Because gene-edited pigs are more resistant to disease, these research institutes and companies will turn to other diseases.
Then, the emergence of CRISPR gene-edited pigs will greatly reduce the use of veterinary drugs and reduce drug waste. Because gene-edited pigs are more resistant to PRRS, farmers no longer need to buy antibiotics and other veterinary drugs based on PRRS, thereby reducing the use of veterinary drugs, and finally, with the popularity of CRISPR gene-edited pigs, the entire pig ecology will change, and some pigs that have not been gene-edited will be eliminated. Gene-edited pigs have greater viability and disease resistance, which will lead to the dominance of gene-edited pigs in the breeding industry, while traditional breeds of pigs may gradually withdraw from the market, with a significant impact on both the breeding industry and the ecological environment.
Although CRISPR technology has brought many opportunities to China's pig industry, it also faces some challenges and controversies. First of all, the safety and controllability of gene editing technology are still controversial, and people are worried that it may lead to unknown risks and *** In addition, the commercial application of gene editing pigs also needs to be regulated and regulated by laws and regulations to ensure the balance between scientific and technological innovation and bioethics. In other words, it is difficult for CRISPR gene-edited pigs to enter the Chinese market in a short period of time.