Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Compositions and methods relating to genomic modifications in avian primordial germ cells

Abstract:

Methods of producing an exogenous protein in a bird egg are provided according to aspects of the present invention which include: providing transfected avian primordial germ cells by forming a complex of Cas protein and a guide nucleotide sequence in the avian primordial germ cells, whereby a donor DNA sequence is inserted into genomic DNA of the avian primordial germ cells under transcriptional control of a regulatory element that directs tissue-specific expression of the exogenous protein; introducing the transfected avian primordial germ cells into a population of recipient bird embryos and incubating the recipient bird embryos, generating germline chimera birds; obtaining a heterozygote and/or homozygote transgenic bird by breeding the germline chimera bird; and isolating the exogenous protein from an egg laid by a female transgenic bird.