The present invention provides livestock animals and methods to create recipient animals for spermatogonial stem cell transplantation through modulation of the NANOS gene. In one embodiment genome editing issued to create animals with insertions or deletions (indels) that inactivate or otherwise modulate NANOS gene activity so that resulting males lack functional germ cells yet retain functional somatic cells, and females are fertile. These males can then be transplanted with donor spermatogonial stem cells and used for breeding.

The invention encompasses methods for increasing genetic progress in livestock, and for genetic dissemination, including the use of amniocentesis to obtain fetal amniocytes for use in genomic evaluation and cloning.

Disclosed herein are genomically modified livestock animals and methods to provide them that express the SLICK phenotype. The animals disclosed herein express a truncated allele for the prolactin receptor (PRLR) gene. When expressed, the livestock animals produce a PRLR that is missing up to the terminal 148 amino acid (aa) residues of the protein all ranges and values within the explicitly stated range are contemplated: e.g., from 148 to 69. Animals expressing SLICK have superior thermoregulatory ability compared to non-slick animals and experience a less drastic depression in milk yield during the summer.

The present invention provides ungulate animals, tissue and organs as well as cells and cell lines derived from such animals, tissue and organs, which lack expression of functional endogenous immunoglobulin loci. The present invention also provides ungulate animals, tissue and organs as well as cells and cell lines derived from such animals, tissue and organs, which express xenogenous, such as human, immunoglobulin loci. The present invention further provides ungulate, such as porcine genomic DNA sequence of porcine heavy and light chain immunogobulins. Such animals, tissues, organs and cells can be used in research and medical therapy. In addition, methods are provided to prepare such animals, organs, tissues, and cells.

Disclosed herein are methods and compositions for identifying domestic livestock having a motor impairment by identifying a motor impairment (MI) haplotype or genotype in the animal. In some embodiments, the methods are used in a selective breeding and mating program, and in some embodiments, the animal is a Holstein bovine, Holstein crossbred, or bovine of another breed with Holstein ancestry.

Cancer vaccines were demonstrated to be promising strategies for cancer treatment; however these strategies are limited by the paucity of target antigens that provoke an effective immune response. The Inventors of the present patent application propose that sperm fibrous sheet proteins constitute a new class of potential antigens for use in the development of effective, durable cancer vaccines. This hypothesis is supported by the expression of the sperm fibrous sheath protein, known as Sperm protein 17 (Sp17), which is detected in tumors of unrelated histological origin. It has the ability to induce T-cell based immune responses. The expression of the Sperm protein 17 (Sp17) in tumors of unrelated histological origin, and its' natural localization in the human sperm fibrous sheath (FS), led the Inventors to hypothesize that FS proteins might represent a new potential class of target antigens useful for developing cancer vaccines, as well as diagnostic and therapeutic treatments.

A method and system is presented for screening bacteria, products purified or made by bacteria and/or other bacterial substance for anti-inflammatory ability.

Use of a miR-34b in regulating lipid metabolism of a Shandong Black cattle is provided in the present disclosure, and belongs to the technical field of molecular biological breeding. A miR-34b can be used in breeding of the Shandong Black cattle to screen an individual with a low miR-34b level as a high-quality calf. Experiments have shown that the miR-34b can regulate proliferation and growth of an adipose tissue of the Shandong Black cattle, thereby regulating a birth weight of the calf. The miR-34b can affect proliferation and growth of adipocytes of the Shandong Black cattle, thereby affecting growth of fetal cattle. In breeding, the individual with a low miR-34b level should be selected as a high-quality calf of the Shandong Black cattle. Therefore, a novel direction is provided for breeding a high-quality beef Shandong Black cattle in the present disclosure.

Method for selecting mammalian cells having a genetically-desirable trait, the method comprising culturing an embryo in vitro, dividing the cells from the embryo into aliquots, subjecting the cells from at least one of the aliquots to a genetic analysis, and, based on the results of such analysis, selecting an aliquot of cells. Method for selecting mammalian cells having a genetically-desirable trait, the method comprising culturing an embryo in vitro, transferring the cultured embryo into a recipient female, collecting the embryo, dividing the cells from the embryo into aliquots, subjecting the cells from at least one of the aliquots to a genetic analysis, and, based on the results of such analysis, selecting an aliquot of cells. Method for selecting a mammalian embryo having a genetically-desirable trait, the method comprising removing one or more cells from each of a plurality of embryos, culturing the cells, subjecting the cultured cells to a genetic analysis, and, based on the results of such analysis, selecting an embryo.

The present application relates to an animal or cell having a myostatin gene in which 12 base pairs of the second exon are deleted. The present application may also comprise a composition capable of manipulating the deletion of 12 base pairs of a myostatin gene to construct the animal or the cell. The present application also relates to use of the composition for increasing muscle.