Transgenic animals possess, from their conception and all cells in their organism, a genetic heritage (genome) modified by the insertion of at least one fragment of extraneous (exogenous) DNA, the transgene. / p>
Methods for creating transgenic animals are different. They are all aimed at inserting the transgene into the genomic DNA of an accepting cell. This may be, depending on the technique used, zygotes or cells of other early stages of embryonic development, such as blastomers. The transgene is transported by a recombinant DNA molecule, the vector, into which it is inserted by genetic engineering techniques. The vector containing the transgene is then injected with a micropipette within the nucleus of the accepting cell. For transgene insertion into the genome DNA of the acceptor cell, there are different types of vectors that can exploit different mechanisms of recombination. Among these, the vectors containing the DNA fragments of the host corresponding to the desired insertion site. These vectors therefore exploit the homologous recombination mechanisms.
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