Unlocking livestock development potential through science, influence and capacity development
ILRI APM, Addis Ababa, 15-17 May 2013
Developing capacity Influencing decisions
BREAD: Basic Mechanisms Underlying Species‐Specific
Trypanosome Resistance
This document is licensed for use under a CreaAve Commons ACribuAon‐Noncommercial‐Share Alike 3.0 Unported Lisence May 2013
Strategic lessons on
Build the capacity of Africa in the
technique of nuclear transfer which is a
powerful tool for superior gene7c traits
preserva7on and improvement.
Provide policy makers with adequate
informa7on in regard of gene7cally
modified ca>le.
Mingyan Yu, Charity Mute0, Moses Ogugo, Stephen Kemp
Gene$cs Group, Biosciences, Interna$onal Livestock Research Ins$tute
Delivering science:
 Good communica7on to win public understanding
and government authority support is important.
 Synergy with exis7ng technical capacity of other
groups is an important factor to the project
success.
Main message
We propose a new strategy for crea7ng resistance in ca>le to
African trypanosomiasis, a major disease that affects
agricultural produc7on in broad regions of Africa.
The long‐term aim is to generate gene7cally modified ca>le,
which carry a gene that imparts resistance to African
trypanosomes. The gene, APOL1, encodes the key trypanoly7c
component of Baboon’s protec7ve Trypanosome Ly7c Factor
(TLF) against both ca>le and human‐infec7ve trypanosomes.
TLFs are only found in humans, gorillas, sooty mangabys,
mandrills and baboons and govern resistance to different
African trypanosome species. Baboons are remarkably
resistant to all African trypanosomes due to baboon TLF,
specifically baboon apoL‐I.
Approach
Using the technique of soma7c cell nuclear transfer (cloning),
to establish a transgenic ca>le model with resistance to
African Trypanosomiasis on the background of the Kenyan
indigenous breed – Kenyan Boran.
Achievement
 Eleven (6 female & 5 male) bovine embryonic fibroblasts
(BEFs) were established and shipped to the partner for gene
modifica7on.
 Nuclear transfer (cloning) plaYorm was established and
tested.
 Two cloned calves (male) were born.
 One cloned calf survives up to date (8‐month old) and is in
good condi7on.
Partners
Jayne Raper Hunter College, City University of New York
Alan Archibald Roslin Ins7tute, University of Edinburgh
Jose Cibelli Michigan State University
Expected impacts on farmers
 Trypanosome resistant caCle will survive in the tsetse belt
of Africa (10 million square miles) and reduce the
transmission of human infec7ve trypanosomes causing
human sleeping sickness.
 Increased crop producAon: the farmers, especially the
women who 7ll the land by hand (90% of sub‐Saharan
Africa) can use ca>le for haulage, trac7on and soil fer7lity.
 More food and nutriAon: less vulnerable to cri7cal harvest
7me imposed by plants.
 More income: have a store of wealth for future
investments
BEFs
(DNA donor)
Oocyte
(Egg recipient)
Remove nucleus
(Enuclea7on)
Transfer the cell
Reconstructed Embryo
Embryo Transfer
278 Days
Cloned Calves born
ID Tatu ID Tumaini (CL001)
apoL‐I
Tryps lysed
Tryps
Survived 3 days
8‐month