Sperm Mediated Gene Transfer in Mammals; a Versatile Platform with Multiple Enhancements Techniques

Abstract

In the field of animal transgenesis, many attempts have been made recently to simplify facilitate, and reduce the cost and labor required to do such tasks. Although several transgenesis techniques (such as DNA microinjection and somatic cell nuclear transfer) have been applied successfully to produce transgenic animals, these traditional techniques are so tedious and have several disadvantages. Retroviral mediated gene transfer has solved some of these usual problems but has, however, inevitable disadvantages represented most prominently by its biological hazard. Many researchers found that the most simple and non-cost effective way to produce transgenic animals is to focus on the natural ability of the sperm to “carry” the foreign DNA and to “fertilize” the oocyte. The most important breakthrough obtained in this aspect is the accumulated information that demonstrated the ability of foreign DNA to be internalized into the sperm head after simple incubation step. Accordingly, the only manipulation step is restricted into the head of the sperm. Then, nature will be allowed to fulfill its scheduled task of reproduction. This method known as sperm mediated gene transfer or SMGT. However, simple incubation of naked DNA with sperm head is not efficient enough to integrate the foreign DNA into the genome of the sperm. Thus, this review aims to pave the way for every effort to enable the researchers to undergo the transgenesis experiments in the routine laboratories. This is potentially can be done by testing the validity of the most modern enhancement approaches suggested on the original SMGT.