Enviropig

The Enviropig is a line of transgenic pigs developed to allow them to produce low-phosphorus manure. Ordinary pigs lack the ability to produce the enzyme phytase, which makes them unable to digest phosphorous from their feed. Researchers led by Cecil Forsberg at the University of Guelph have developed a strain of pigs which are able to produce phytase by injecting pig embryos with bacterial DNA which codes for the phytase protein. The pigs produce phytase in their saliva. ^[1]

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Environmental impact

Undigested phosphorous from pig farms accumulates in lakes where it is eaten by algae. The abundant algae decrease the oxygen supply available to fish, which reduces fish populations.

References

1. ^ Serguei P. Golovan, Roy G. Meidinger, Ayodele Ajakaiye, Michael Cottrill, Miles Z. Wiederkehr, David J. Barney, Claire Plante, John W. Pollard, Ming Z. Fan, M. Anthony Hayes, Jesper Laursen, J. Peter Hjorth, Roger R. Hacker, John P. Phillips & Cecil W. Forsberg (2001). "Pigs expressing salivary phytase produce low-phosphorous manure". Nature Biotechnology 19: 741 - 745. doi:10.1038/90788.

Further reading

• http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2001/806/2
• http://www.uoguelph.ca/enviropig/