Chicken genome editing for investigating poultry pathogens

Abstract

Major advances in pathogen identification, treatment, vaccine development, and avian immunology have enabled the enormous expansion in global poultry production over the last 50 years. Looking forward, climate change, reduced feed, reduced water access, new avian pathogens and restrictions on the use of antimicrobials threaten to hamper further gains in poultry productivity and health. The development of novel in vitro cell culture systems coupled with new genetic tools to investigate gene function will aid in developing novel interventions for existing and newly emerging poultry pathogens. Our growing capacity to cryopreserve and generate genome-edited chicken lines will also be useful for developing improved chicken breeds for poultry farmers and conserving chicken genetic resources. IntroductionOf the three largest animal protein sources, poultry, beef, and pork, poultry is the most affordable, has the shortest production cycle, and has the least environmental impact. Ninety percent of the world's poultry meat production comes from chicken which provides both meat and eggs for consumers of all socioeconomic strata (FAO, 2021). In 2020, global poultry production reached over 70 billion chicken, producing 1.6 trillion eggs and 133.3 million tonnes of poultry meat (FAO, 2022). To ensure flocks are protected against disease, proper rearing of healthy chickens requires a stringent prescription of vaccinations, high flock biosecurity, and the precise application of anti-bacterials or anti-protozoics. However, in commercial farming systems, increasing flock density and increased global climatic impacts are expected to create future stresses for poultry production leading to increased incidences of infections (Mottet & Tempio, 2017). Additionally, in many parts of the world, poultry is raised in open production systems or in small village farms where they have a higher exposure to pathogens, reduced biosecurity, reduced access to pharmaceuticals, and a lower number of vaccinations due to reduced access to vaccines (Cristalli & Capua, 2007). Advances in genetic modification technologies and next-generation sequencing serve as new tools to identify genes activated in both hosts and pathogens during infection and modify

Pollutant Gases to Algal Animal Feed: Impacts of Poultry House Exhaust Air on Amino Acid Profile of Algae

“…In addition to their nutritional value, algae have been recognized for their potential to reduce the environmental impacts of animal production [ 11 , 12 ]. Poultry production is a significant contributor to the global food supply, providing a readily available and affordable source of animal protein [ 13 ]. However, the environmental impact of poultry production, particularly the emission of ammonia and carbon dioxide gases, has become a growing concern [ 14 , 15 ].…”