MODULATING PRODUCTION TRAITS IN AVIANS

• US 20100306869A1
• Filed: 06/12/2008
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Australian Poultry CRC Pty Limited, Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation (Commonwealth Of Australia As Represented By Department Of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research And Tertiary Education), University of Melbourne
• Original Assignee: Australian Poultry CRC Pty Limited, Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation (Commonwealth Of Australia As Represented By Department Of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research And Tertiary Education)
• Inventors: Lowenthal, John William, Moore, Robert John, Doran, Timothy James
• Application Number:
  US12/664,097
• Publication Number:
  US 20100306869A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 800/19
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 2217/058 due to expression of inhibitory nucleic acid, e.g. siRNA, antisense
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 2227/30 Bird
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 2267/02 Animal zootechnically ameliorated
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/111 General methods applicable to biologically active non-coding nucleic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/113 Non-coding nucleic acids modulating the expression of genes, e.g. antisense oligonucleotides; Antisense DNA or RNA; Triplex- forming oligonucleotides; Catalytic nucleic acids, e.g. ribozymes; Nucleic acids used in co-suppression or gene silencing when used in plants C12N15/8218
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/1136 against growth factors, growth regulators, cytokines, lymphokines or hormones
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8509 for producing genetically modified animals, e.g. transgenic
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2310/14 interfering N.A.
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2320/32 Special delivery means, e.g. tissue-specific

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods of modulating traits, particularly production traits, in avians such as chickens. In particular, the invention relates to the in ovo delivery of a dsRNA molecule, especially siRNAs, to modify production traits in commercially important birds.

Claims

1-24. -24. (canceled)

25. A method of modifying a trait of an avian, the method comprising administering to an avian egg at least one nucleic acid molecule comprising a double-stranded region, wherein the nucleic acid molecule results in a reduction in the level of at least one RNA molecule and/or protein in the egg.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the nucleic acid molecule is dsRNA.

27. A method of modifying a trait of an avian, the method comprising administering to an avian egg at least one RNA molecule comprising a double-stranded region (dsRNA), wherein the RNA molecule results in a reduction in the level of at least one RNA molecule and/or protein in the egg, and wherein

i) the method does not comprise electroporating the egg, and/or

ii) the RNA molecule is administered to the air sac, yolk sac or chorion allantoic fluid.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the dsRNA is a siRNA or a shRNA.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the trait is a production trait.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the production trait is muscle mass or sex.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the production trait is sex and the nucleic acid molecule reduces the level of a protein encoded by a DMRT1 gene.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the nucleic acid molecule comprises at least one nucleotide sequence selected from:

33. The method of claim 27, wherein the nucleic acid molecule is administered by injection.

34. The method of claim 27, wherein the avian is selected from chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese, bantams and quails.

35. An avian produced using the method of claim 27.

36. An isolated and/or exogenous nucleic acid molecule comprising a double-stranded region which reduces the level of at least one RNA molecule and/or protein when administered to an avian egg.

37. The nucleic acid molecule of claim 36 which is a dsRNA molecule.

38. The nucleic acid molecule of claim 36 which reduces the level of a protein encoded by a DMRT1 gene or a myostatin gene.

39. The nucleic acid molecule of claim 38 which comprises at least one nucleotide sequence selected from:

40. A vector encoding a nucleic acid molecule, or a single strand thereof, of claim 36.

41. A host cell comprising an exogenous nucleic acid molecule, or a single strand thereof, of claim 36.

42. A composition comprising a nucleic acid molecule, or a single strand thereof, of claim 36.

43. An avian egg comprising a nucleic acid molecule, or a single strand thereof, of claim 36.

44. A kit comprising a nucleic acid molecule, or a single strand thereof, of claim 36.