On July 19 of this year, Meng Meng was born at the Comprehensive Experimental Base of Beijing Agricultural College near Magnetic Village in Daxing District. However, it was not until yesterday that the Beijing Academy of Agriculture officially announced to the public for the first time: After blood and hair follicles were tested and tested, the 26-day-old sprout had initially passed “identity certification†and successfully carried the fat-containing fat connexin gene. This indicates that Beijing finally has a technical system for the production of genetically modified animals. It also means that people in Beijing and even the whole country are expected to eat a marbled meaty quality beef as soon as possible, without having to rely on high imports from abroad.
Three years of struggle finally succeeded
"It is not easy to go to this stage today!" As the chief person in charge of the National Key Project of Genetically Modified Genetically Modified New Beef Cattle Breeding, Professor Ni Hemin of Animal Science and Technology College of Beijing Agricultural College accepted yesterday. When interviewed by reporters, there was a mixed feeling. He said that although there are five major species of cattle in China, there is still no world-recognized breed of meat and there are widespread problems with low meat production and low meat quality.
"One of the key factors in the quality of beef is the fat content between muscles." According to Ni and Min, beef is not as lean as possible. It is best to have a certain amount of fat between muscles, which is what people commonly call "snowflakes." "Meat", but most of the domestic "Snow Flesh" are imported, the price is very expensive.
In the face of foreign technological blockades, the scientific research team is determined to cultivate a new breed of beef cattle from China's own brand. Ni Hemin found that it is precisely the fat fat connexin gene that can have an important influence on the growth and development of meat and changes in the meat quality, prompting the calf to grow "flesh meat."
In March 2009, this country launched a major special project for genetic modification. In 2010, Ni Hemin carefully selected 100 cows and made genetically modified “test-tube babies†to 27 of them. However, none of them successfully conceived. He was not discouraged. In the second year he selected more than 200 cattle and conducted experiments in two batches. This time, Ni Hemin was delighted: 3 months later, a total of 7 cows became successful mothers.
The reason why this study is not easy is because every aspect is crucial. If you do not do it with care, you will be unable to do anything. It takes about nine and a half months for a cow to breed a calf. During this period, despite Ni Hemin and his graduate students taking care of it, there are still two pregnant cows unfortunately having miscarriages.
The cloned calf has three mothers at the same time
"This experiment is the same as the principle of a test-tube baby. The operation of the laboratory is very complicated." Ni Hemin tried to explain this process in relatively popular terms. In the first step, the positive somatic cells, fibroblasts, that were transferred to the gene were obtained from the fetal skin of a normal two-month-old cow and cultured with the adiipectin gene, recombined, passaged... until this body The cell successfully carries the foreign gene; in the second step, the egg is extracted from the other cows, the original DNA is removed, and the previously cultivated somatic cells are injected. Embryos were reconstructed by motor high-voltage discharge and developed into blastocysts after 7 days, and then transplanted into the uterus of surrogate cattle, normal implantation pregnancy.
"Speaking of it, there are three mothers in Meng Meng." Ni Hemin said, firstly, the cows who provide the eggs, and the surrogate cows - the Simmental cattle from Inner Mongolia. The last and most important mother is responsible for Shaanxi Qinchuan cattle that provide fibroblasts.
In the future, genes will ultimately be expressed through proteins. After they have grown into adulthood, Prof. Ni will once again use molecular biology methods to test them to see whether their protein and gene expressions meet the requirements. At the same time, we must also see if the descendants that are bred by them can continue to carry this gene and whether the meat quality can be improved. Once the experiment is successful, Meng Meng’s worth will soar to millions of dollars.
Create a domestic autonomous beef cattle brand
The successful birth of Meng Meng brought an unprecedented glimpse to the research team led by Professor Ni Hemin. This means that this city will take a crucial step in the application of somatic cell cloning technology to cultivate a new breed of beef cattle of our own brand. This technology will Greatly promotes the improvement, development and utilization of Qinchuan cattle, one of China's five major cattle.
In addition, the successful transfer of the fatty acid-binding protein gene also lays the foundation for future transgenic breeding in China. Ni Hemin said that on the one hand, more and more different genes can be transferred into the body of cattle, with a higher rate of meat production and a higher and more delicious flavor of aromatics. On the other hand, the technical system can also be used for breeding in other livestock. Research and experiments are conducted in the system.
Then, after the success of this technology, will China also be able to cultivate Japan's famous "Wuxu"?
Ni Hemin said that the successful transfer of the fatty acid-binding protein gene, under normal circumstances, can increase the inter-muscular fat content, thereby improving the quality of beef, but China's current feeding level and the cattle's growing environment can not be compared with the "cow". Japan's "Wuxo" requires very strict, pedigree, can not be mixed with a drop of mixed blood, the breeder every day to give cattle to drink beer, listen to music, massage. The environment in which “Wuxo†grows is also extremely superior. The current level of breeding in our country is still insufficient. Our reporter Wu Yishe
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"Orphan" sprouting in love
Yesterday, in the white small single room of the cattle farm, “Yoniudaoâ€, the reporter saw a lanky sprout, even though it was smaller than the other genetically modified clone Niu Niu, who was born more than ten days later. Meng Meng's natural shiny, beautiful face, two watery eyes are especially affectionate, the top of the small yellow flowers is unique. Meng Meng seems to be accustomed to being alone and always quietly lying on the straw. For the lyrical depth of another pair of mother and child next to it, it can only stare at the distance. Despite the many days of life, Meng Meng is also growing healthy day by day under the care of Professor Ni Hemin and many young “dairy dadsâ€.
Once you are born, you lose your "kin"
In the early morning of July 19 this year, a pregnant cow showed signs of labor. Midwives are quickly in place, and after checking the cows, they wait nervously for the arrival of the babies. At 10 o'clock in the morning, the cows appeared uneasy and frequently stood on their backs. The production process of the first calf did not go smoothly. Under normal circumstances, the fetus’s forelegs should be discharged from the birth canal with its head. However, the yak’s head was raised and the forelegs came out from the cervix. In the cervix, after a dozen adjustments, the two little guys finally fell to the ground at 10:25 and 10:55.
At the time of birth, the two little guys were very thin. The sister weighed 21 kilograms, and her youngest sister had only 19 kilograms. The normal cows were born with a weight of 50 kilograms. Regrettably, the sprouting twin sister soon suffered from severe diarrhea, and even before he could blink to see his sister, he quietly left. Even more surprising is that when the petite and squeaky budding spoils her mother like all new-born baby cows, her mother apparently has not yet adapted to changes in her character. Not only does she not breastfeed her breasts, she is not even close to her. .
The young yak is strong and survives the stormy night
In desperation, Ni Hemin and the students had to take turns feeding Meng Meng. However, on the third day after the birth of Meng, the “July 21†heavy rain fell, and the original water used to house the sprouting cattle farm had no knees. Zhao Jingxian, a graduate student from the Beijing Agricultural College, and three students rushed to the cattle farm. They took off their shoes, stepped on the cow dung, and found the sprouting rain on their knees. Xiao Zhao and another classmate carried Meng Meng. The other two were responsible for an umbrella and successfully saved Meng Meng to the student dormitory.
Since then, the young sprout has been camped in a student dormitory. A thick layer of straw is its crib, a large can of milk powder is its ration, and a variety of physiological saline on the table is to help it increase nutrition. Four 80-year-old boys took turns to act as “milk dads.†Every two hours, they had to feed their breasts once, and also handle their various excrements.
Meng Meng this residence is 20 days, it gradually gets used to living with people, not only do not want to leave the hut, but also often intimately with the "dad daddy" spoiled.
Until 3 days ago, the body's gradually sprouting Meng Meng finally left the dormitory and returned to the cattle farm. To fear it was not accustomed, Zhao Jingxian put a chair beside the sprouting little room and hung a small mosquito net. He was guarding it in this sweltering little bill.
Meng Meng stood up for the first time
"Come on!" "It stood!" At 11 o'clock on July 24, Meng Meng finally stood up. After the normal young calf is born, he can quickly stand up under the encouragement of the cow. However, due to the inborn lack of twin births and the lack of fresh bovine colostrum, the frailty of the body has been unable to stand up. This can smash Ni and Min students.
As a result, everybody took care of it artificially by taking care of it in turns, like taking care of the baby, measuring body temperature regularly, drinking water regularly, breastfeeding... Meng Meng did not let its “milk dad†disappoint, was struggling, bravely. Stand up and take advantage of the first step.
“The fact that Meng Meng can stand up and walk is an important turning point, which will greatly help him to eat in the future, his mental state, etc. This also shows that the many efforts we have made for it for so long have not been in vain.†Students Liu Yifei is excited Said.
Little sister Niuniu was born successfully
In the process of caring for Meng Meng, Professor Ni found that there was another sign of labor in the cows to be born. Since the cows are likely to produce in a quiet night, everyone must regularly observe the cows at night.
“The more we are near the due date, the less we dare to relax.†Zhao Jingxian and several classmates have to go to the cattle circle once every two hours to check. Time passed day by day, but the cow still did not show more signs of labor. Even so, no one dared to ignore the slightest delay. Because they know that once a cow has a difficult birth, it is likely to endanger the life of the mother and child.
In the end, on the eighth day of the over-production period, the young calf was successfully born. This strong little guy has a full weight of 51 kilograms. Lucky girl also has a good mother. With the encouragement of her mother, Niu Niu was able to stand alone to eat breastmilk in less than half an hour after she was born.
Ni Hemin said: “At present, although we have succeeded in transferring the fat-adipocyte-linked protein gene into the calf, it can only be considered as a first step. In the future, can this gene be inherited from generation to generation, It's the key."
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