Use of Genome Editing in Animal Breeding Programs

Abstract Text: The purpose of this work was to evaluate the potential of using genome editing (GE) in conjunction with genomic selection (GS) for increasing the rate of genetic progress in livestock breeding programs. Results showed between 1.05 and 3.20 times higher response to selection when combining GE with GS as compared to using GS alone. In the short term these differences could be even higher - between 1.00 and 5.40 for generation 5. Traits determined by a smaller number of causative variants, had larger rates of genetic improvement under the GE approach compared to the traits controlled by more causal variants. Traits with lower heritability showed more benefit from GE than traits with high heritability. Improvement was larger with more edits per sire and more sires edited. GE has great potential for use alongside GS in livestock breeding programs.

Keywords: genome editing, genomic selection