In China, pigs with a low fat content were grown. They were introduced by mice genes

Researchers of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing first raised piglets with the addition of mice genes - the grown pigs are distinguished by a reduced fat content. The results of the study were published in the American scientific journal PNAS, their summary is given by The Salt blog.

Chinese experts took the UPC1 gene from mice (it is responsible for regulating body temperature in mammals; pigs do not have it) and placed it in pig embryos using CRISPR/CAS9 technology. The embryos were implanted by 13 sows. In three cases, fertilization was successful, after which 12 piglets were born.

Conventional pigs have much more fat than other mammals due to the fact that, due to the lack of UPC1 gene, they cannot regulate body temperature depending on external conditions. Genetically modified piglets grown by Chinese scientists weigh 24% less than ordinary ones, due to a decrease in the amount of fat.

The successful result of the experiment can be extremely important for the food industry. Farmers will spend less money on the creation of comfortable conditions for pigs (first of all, this applies to heating in winter), which will ultimately lead to the cost of production. At the same time, notes The Salt, so far, due to existing prejudices against genetically modified food, it is unlikely to expect the appearance of meat of such pigs in the near future.

“I am very doubtful, firstly, that such pigs will ever be imported to the United States, and secondly, that the meat will ever become part of the food industry,” said Missouri University, Missuri Michael Roberts, who acted as a research reviewer in PNAS.

At the same time, Roberts emphasized that from a scientific point of view, the work of Chinese scientists is very important.

What the taste of the meat grown from genetically modified pigs will be unclear. Scientists suggest that it will be more lean and low -fat.