Genetically Engineered Cats & Dogs

Genetically engineered 'hypoallergenic' dogs may be available soon. So you should able to buy GM Pets on shops soon. Here is story about GM Cats. The major allergen in cats is the glycoprotein Fel d1 that is secreted by the sebaceous glands. This allergen is found in the fur, saliva, urine, mucous, salivary glands, and hair roots of the cat. This protein is produced by the Fel d1 gene. Scientists have developed a cat breed that produces a different version of the Fel d1 protein. According to Allerca, these cats no longer trigger the autoimmune system of people allergic to cats. The Allerca cats have been available since 2006. First scientists sought a method to delete or disable the gene. But in testing to see whether the gene had been effectively silenced, they made a fortuitous discovery: A very small number of cats carry a mutant gene that produces a modified protein, far less likely to induce allergies. At that point, the research shifted course. Allerca screened thousands of cats to identify a population with the modified gene and then set those cats to breeding. Because the mutant gene is dominant, the breeding cats could be mated with normal cats to produce hypoallergenic kittens.

By using proprietary genetic technology, ALLERCA manipulated naturally occurring genetic variations in cats, specifically targeting the gene Fel D1 that is responsible for the production of the common cat allergen. ALLERCA's technology detected genetic divergences consisting of minute variations in the code of the Fel D1 gene sequence.

Genetically Engineered Crops & Food.