Although several techniques have been developed to create gene knockouts in pigs, homologous recombination will continue to be required for site-specific genome modifications that are more sophisticated than gene disruption (base changes, domain exchanges, conditional knockouts). The objective of the present paper was to improve the efficiency of homologous recombination in porcine fetal fibroblasts, which would be used to produce gene knockout pigs by somatic cell nuclear transfer. A promoter-trap was used to enable selection of GGTA1 targeted cells. Cells were transfected with either a single stranded or double stranded targeting vector, or a vector, with or without a negative selectable marker gene (diphtheria toxin-A). Although targeting efficiencies were numerically lower for single stranded targeting vectors, statistical differences could not be detected. Similarly, the use of a negative selectable marker (in cis or trans) provided numerically lower targeting efficiencies, statistical differences again could not be detected. Overall, the targeting efficiencies ranged from 1.5×10-5 to 2.5×10-6 targeting events per transfected cell. Given the results, it may be applicable to investigate multiple enrichment techniques for homologous recombination, given that every targeted locus is different.
Keywords: Gene targeting; Homologous recombination; Promoter-trap; Singlestranded DNA; Swine; Transfection efficiency; Transgenic.