Pigs with engineered resistance to Classical Swine Fever

Background

Classical Swine Fever (CSF) is a highly contagious viral disease of pigs that causes severe illness, death and major economic losses to the global pig industry. Although vaccines are available, eradication remains challenging due to ongoing transmission within wild pig populations.

Researchers at the Roslin Institute investigated whether genome editing could be used to create pigs resistant to infection. Previous laboratory studies had shown that targeted modifications to the DNAJC14 gene prevented Classical Swine Fever Virus from replicating in cultured cells. This suggested that introducing similar edits into pigs could provide a novel approach to disease resistance.

At LARIF

The LARIF provided the specialist infrastructure and expertise required to generate and evaluate the edited animals. The project utilised LARIF’s embryology, microinjection, surgical and animal care facilities. Following superovulation and artificial insemination, embryos were collected from donor animals, edited using genome engineering technologies and transferred to recipient pigs to establish pregnancies. Once piglets were born, animals carrying the desired DNAJC14 edits were identified and characterised.

The LARIF supported the breeding, husbandry and management of the animals, enabling researchers to generate study cohorts for downstream evaluation. Cells derived from the edited pigs were used in infection studies, which demonstrated resistance to both Classical Swine Fever Virus and the related Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus.

The programme subsequently progressed to challenge studies performed in collaboration with the Animal and Plant Health Agency, the UK reference laboratory for Classical Swine Fever. These studies demonstrated that the edited pigs were fully resistant to infection.

Impact

This work demonstrates the potential of genome editing to improve animal health and welfare through the development of disease-resistant livestock. Building on previous successes in generating pigs resistant to Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), the project highlights the capability of the LARIF and the Roslin Institute to translate advances in genome engineering into practical solutions for global livestock production.

The discovery has led to patent protection, publication in a leading biotechnology journal and presentation at international scientific conferences. The approach has the potential to reduce the economic and welfare impacts of Classical Swine Fever in pigs and may also contribute to future strategies for controlling related viral diseases affecting other livestock species.

Publications

DNAJC14 gene-edited pigs are resistant to classical pestiviruses