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In a groundbreaking study, Chinese scientists have successfully created mice with two male parents who survived to adulthood. By modifying 20 regions of the genome, they successfully bred these bi-parental mice, marking a significant advancement in reproductive biology.
This achievement builds on previous work by researchers in Japan, who also created mice with two father-derived eggs but faced challenges such as infertility and shorter lifespans. The Chinese scientists’ approach involved targeting imprinting genes—genetic markers that ensure proper gene expression during development. These genes are crucial for regulating traits like brain development and can cause disorders such as Angelman syndrome when disrupted.
The study, published in Cell Stem Cell, revealed how tweaking these imprinted genes could stabilize bi-parental embryos despite the complexity of hundreds of such loci in mice. However, the resulting mice still exhibited some deficits, including shorter lifespans and infertility.
Dr. Kotaro Sasaki noted that while progress was made, further refinement is needed to improve health outcomes. Meanwhile, experts like Keith Latham suggest potential applications in human gene therapy or agricultural uses for selective breeding of desirable traits.
This research deepens our understanding of imprinting disorders, offering new avenues for treating genetic diseases and exploring their implications beyond the lab.
Source: https://www.livescience.com/health/fertility-pregnancy-birth/chinese-scientists-created-mice-with-2-dads-and-they-survived-to-adulthood