The Rural Voice, 2000-07, Page 13POWERS
Scrap Book
Transgenetic
chickens could
fight bacteria
University of Guelph
researchers are working to develop
transgenic chickens that would
produce eggs with increased levels
of a natural substance that can
combat harmful microorganisms.
Lysozyme, normally found in
egg white, protects the embryo
from microbial contamination. In
food processing, it is routinely
isolated from eggs and used to
enhance food preservation and
prevent contamination of
everything from fish and cooked
meats to toothpaste.
"Lysozyme can selectively
destroy certain harmful
microorganisms while allowing
beneficial bacteria to survive," said
Prof. Ann Gibbins, of the univer-
sity's Animal and Poultry Science.
school who is working with
research assistant Dr. Guodong Liu
and graduate students Jan Losos
and Gregory Lampard to create
chickens that lay eggs with
increased amounts of lysozyme.
Canada produces one-sixth of
the world's supply of lysozyme
from egg white proteins, but the
demand is increasing rapidly.
Lysozyme can also be modified to
have a wider bacterial range
against disease -causing and food -
spoilage bacteria. This is of
particular interest to the medical
community where there's concern
of pathogenic bacteria developing
resistance to current antibiotics.
Gibbins and her research team
have been working for 10 years to
develop an effective technique for
inserting foreign material into
chicken embryos. It's been more
difficult transferring genes in
chickens than in other animals
because the embryo is encased in
the hard egg shell. The team has
been successful in inserting cells
from a donor embryo, mixed with
the foreign gene, into the recipient
embryo through a hole in the egg.0
— Source: Centre for Genetic
Improvement of Livestock
7000 TEN SERIES
JOHN DEERE TRACTORS
NEW
MODELS
- NEW NORSE
► NEW 7510 Model with
115- hp
► NEW instructional
Seat option
► NEW AutoQuadTM
Transmission
► NEW increased
horsepower ratings
► SIX horsepower sizes to
choose from -- 95, 105,
115, 120, 135, and
150 hp
ELMIRA FARM SERVICE (1981) LTD.
Elmira 519-669-5453
Ospringe 519-833-9332
LMS IVAN J.H.
EQUIPMENT INC.
Listowel
519-291-5390
JOHN DEERE
CARMICHAEL LTD.
Chatsworth
519-794-2480
HURON TRACTOR LTD.
Exeter 519-235-1115
Blyth 519-523-4244
RR 4 Thamesford 519-285-3845
JULY 2000 9