α(1,3)-galactosyltransferase knockout swine, tissues and organs

1. A knockout swine whose genome comprises a disrupted α(1,3)-galactosyltransferase gene, wherein expression of functional α(1,3)-galactosyltransferase in the knockout swine is decreased as compared to a wild-type swine and tissue from the swine exhibits decreased hyperacute rejection as compared to a wild-type swine tissue.

2. The swine of claim 1 , wherein the wild-type α(1,3)-galactosyltransferase gene encodes SEQ ID NO: 1.

3. The swine of claim 1 , having a reduced amount α(1,3)-galactosyl epitope on the surface of at least some cells, as compared to a wild-type swine.

4. An isolated swine organ comprising cells, the genome of which comprise a disrupted α(1,3)-galactosyltransferase gene, wherein expression of functional α(1,3)-galactosyltransferase in the isolated organ is decreased as compared to a wild-type organ and wherein the organ exhibits decreased hyperacute rejection as compared to a wild-type swine organ.

5. The isolated organ of claim 4 , wherein the wild-type α(1,3)-galactosyltransferase gene encodes SEQ ID NO: 1.

6. The isolated organ of claim 4 wherein the organ is selected from a group consisting of heart, liver, kidney, pancreas, lung, thyroid and skin.

7. The isolated organ of claim 4 , having a reduced amount α(1,3)-galactosyltransferase epitope on the surface of at least some cells, as compared to cells from a wild-type swine organ.

8. A method for producing a transgenic swine embryo, comprising:

(a) enucleating a swine oocyte;

(b) fusing the oocyte with a donor swine fibroblast cell the genome of which comprises a disrupted α(1,3)-galactosyltransferase gene; and

(c) activating the oocyte to produce a transgenic swine embryo whose genome comprises a disrupted α(1,3)-galactosyltransferase gene, said embryo being capable of producing a transgenic swine of claim 1 .

9. A method for producing a knockout swine comprising:

(a) enucleating a swine oocyte;

(b) fusing the oocyte with a donor swine fibroblast cell the genome of which comprises a disrupted α(1,3)-galactosyltransferase gene;

(c) activating the oocyte to produce an embryo; and

(d) implanting the embryo into a surrogate swine, wherein the surrogate swine has initiated estrus, but has not yet completed ovulation, for term delivery to produce a knockout swine whose genome comprises a disrupted α(1,3)-galactosyltransferase gene, wherein expression of functional α(1,3)-galactosyltransferase in the knockout swine is decreased as compared to a wild-type swine, and tissue from the swine exhibits decreased hyperacute rejection as compared to a wild-type swine tissue.

10. The method of claim 8 or 9 , wherein the wild-type α(1,3)-galactosyltransferase comprises SEQ ID NO:1.

11. A swine embryo produced according to claim 8 .

12. An isolated swine organ derived from the embryo of claim 11 wherein the organ exhibits decreased hyperacute rejection as compared to a wild-type swine organ.

13. An isolated swine tissue derived from the embryo of claim 11 wherein the tissue exhibits decreased hyperacute rejection as compared to a wild-type swine tissue.

14. An isolated tissue derived from the swine of claim 1 wherein the tissue exhibits decreased hyperacute rejection as compared to a wild-type swine tissue.

15. A progeny swine of the swine of claim 1 , wherein said progeny swine comprises a genome comprising a disrupted α(1,3)-galactosyltransferase gene and tissue from the progeny exhibits decreased hyperacute rejection as compared to a wild-type swine tissue.

16. A gamete derived from the swine of claim 1 or 15 , wherein said gamete comprises a genome comprising a disrupted α(1,3)-galactosyltransferase gene and tissue from swine produced by said gamete exhibits decreased hyperacute rejection as compared to a wild-type swine tissue.

17. The gamete of claim 16 , which is a sperm.

18. The gamete of claim 16 , which is an ovum.