Poultry genetic heritage cryopreservation and reconstruction: advancement and future challenges

Abstract

Poultry genetics resources, including commercial selected lines, indigenous breeds, and experimental lines, are now being irreversibly lost at an alarming rate due to multiple reasons, which further threats the future livelihood and academic purpose. Collections of germplasm may reduce the risk of catastrophic loss of genetic diversity by guaranteeing that a pool of genetic variability is available to ensure the reintroduction and replenishment of the genetic stocks. The setting up of biobanks for poultry is challenging because the high sensitiveness of spermatozoa to freezing–thawing process, inability to cryopreserve the egg or embryo, coupled with the females being heterogametic sex. The progress in cryobiology and biotechnologies have made possible the extension of the range of germplasm for poultry species available in cryobanks, including semen, primordial germ cells, somatic cells and gonads. In this review, we introduce the state-of-the-art technologies for avian genetic resource conservation and breed reconstruction, and discuss the potential challenges for future study and further extending of these technologies to ongoing and future conservation efforts.

Creating Ex Situ Protected Bioreservoirs as a Powerful Strategy for the Reproductive Biotechnology-Mediated Rescue of Threatened Polish Livestock Breeds

“…Wood et al [6] reported that attempts to preserve in situ rare indigenous livestock breeds should be predictive, and so it is necessary to incorporate changes in environmental conditions into strategies related to the conservation of bioresources. Both intensification of production and propagation of new lines or breeds of livestock species with high genetic merit or high productivity can significantly destabilize the global diversity of domesticated animals [2,28,31,32]. Therefore, countries, including Poland, are developing adequate procedures aimed at the protection of livestock breeds.…”

PGC-based cryobanking, regeneration through germline chimera mating, and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated TYRP1 modification in indigenous Chinese chickens

“…Currently, several different germplasm preservation methods are used to preserve poultry gametes, including semen, PGCs (primordial germ cells), somatic cells, and gonads, which are used to preserve poultry gametes [11]. However, the effectiveness of semen freezing is not universally guaranteed due to factors such as breed, age, and preservation techniques [12,13].…”

Selection of Male Donors in Local Chicken Breeds to Implement the Italian Semen Cryobank: Variability in Semen Quality, Freezability and Fertility

“…Therefore, advanced and broad programs for the conservation of animal genetic resources are recommended to associate the priority in situ technique with the complementary ex situ in vitro technique in order to improve conservation potential and prevent the risk of dramatic or even total loss in biodiversity [16]. The implementation of the ex situ in vitro technique is considered essential to halt the current drain in biodiversity and rescue extant resources in the poultry sector, including commercial lines, indigenous breeds and experimental lines [17].…”