Gene editing of reproductive hormones to sterilize aquatic animals
Disclosed are fish with impaired reproductive capacity and methods and compositions for producing the same. The reproductively impaired fish may include catfish, such as Ictalurus punctatus . The disclosed methods may be generally useful for mitigating environmental impact of escaped genetically engineered fish.
1. A genetically modified Ictalurus punctatus that has been genetically modified to comprise a modified luteinizing hormone gene, wherein the genetically modified Ictalurus punctatus exhibits reduced reproduction relative to wild type Ictalurus punctatus , and wherein the modified luteinizing hormone gene is an endogenous gene that has been modified to comprise a mutation relative to the native gene sequence of the luteinizing hormone gene within the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:72 that results in a frameshift in the coding sequence of the gene.
2. A genetically modified Ictalurus punctatus that has been genetically modified to comprise a modified gonadotropin-releasing hormone gene, wherein the genetically modified Ictalurus punctatus exhibits reduced reproduction relative to wild type Ictalurus punctatus , and wherein the modified gonadotropin-releasing hormone gene is an endogenous gene that has been modified to comprise a mutation relative to the native gene sequence of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone gene within the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:78 that results in a frameshift in the coding sequence of the gene.
3. A method for reducing reproduction in a population of farmed Ictalurus punctatus in aquaculture confinement, the method comprising farming the Ictalurus punctatus of claim 1 in aquaculture confinement.
4. A method for reducing reproduction in a population of farmed Ictalurus punctatus in aquaculture confinement, the method comprising farming the Ictalurus punctatus of claim 2 in aquaculture confinement.
5. The Ictalurus punctatus of claim 1 , wherein the mutation is a deletion.
6. The Ictalurus punctatus of claim 2 , wherein the mutation is a deletion.
7. A genetically modified Ictalurus punctatus that has been genetically modified to comprise a modified luteinizing hormone gene, wherein the genetically modified Ictalurus punctatus exhibits reduced reproduction relative to wild type Ictalurus punctatus , and wherein the modified luteinizing hormone gene is an endogenous gene that has been modified to comprise a mutation relative to the native gene sequence of the luteinizing hormone gene that results in a frameshift in the coding sequence of the gene.
8. A genetically modified Ictalurus punctatus that has been genetically modified to comprise a modified gonadotropin-releasing hormone gene, wherein the genetically modified Ictalurus punctatus exhibits reduced reproduction relative to wild type Ictalurus punctatus , and wherein the modified gonadotropin-releasing hormone gene is an endogenous gene that has been modified to comprise a mutation relative to the native gene sequence of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone gene that results in a frameshift in the coding sequence of the gene.
9. A method for reducing reproduction in a population of farmed Ictalurus punctatus in aquaculture confinement, the method comprising farming the Ictalurus punctatus of claim 7 in aquaculture confinement.
10. A method for reducing reproduction in a population of farmed Ictalurus punctatus in aquaculture confinement, the method comprising farming the Ictalurus punctatus of claim 8 in aquaculture confinement.
11. The Ictalurus punctatus of claim 7 , wherein the mutation is a deletion.
12. The Ictalurus punctatus of claim 8 , wherein the mutation is a deletion.