LOC21:10
18:10 GMT
(With photos)
DUBAI, April 14 (KUNA) -- Scientists at the Camel Reproduction Centre in
Dubai announced Tuesday the birth of the world's first cloned camel.
A statement by the media office of the Ruler of Dubai said, the female
camel calf, (Injaz), was born safely at the Camel Reproduction Centre
(Nakhali, Dubai) on Wednesday April 8, 2009 after an uncomplicated gestation
of 378 days.
She was created from cells harvested from the ovary of an adult she-camel
which were grown in culture before being frozen in liquid nitrogen.
Dr. Nisar Ahmed Wani, veterinarian embryologist at the Camel Reproduction
Centre, injected one of these adult cells into a camel oocyte from which the
nucleus had been removed.
The oocyte and the adult cell were then fused with a tiny split-second
electric current and chemically activated to induce them to start dividing
just like a normal fertilized egg.
The resulting embryo was cultured for seven days in the laboratory before
it was transferred back into the uterus of a surrogate camel. Pregnancy was
diagnosed 20 days later by ultrasound and monitored ultrasonography thereafter
for the next 12.5 months.
The DNA of Injaz's cells and that of the original ovarian cells have been
tested using microsatellite DNA analysis at the Molecular Biology and Genetics
Laboratory in CVRL, Dubai and have been found to be identical, thereby proving
that INJAZ is indeed a clone of the original female camel.
Dr. Lulu Skidmore, Scientific Director of the Camel Reproduction Centre,
and Dr. Ulrich Wernery, Scientific Director of Central Veterinary Research
Laboratory, both said "we are all very excited at the birth of Injaz as she is
the result of great skill and teamwork of everyone at the Camel Reproduction
Centre.
This significant breakthrough in our research program gives a means of
preserving the valuable genetics of our elite racing and milk producing camels
in the future.
The Camel Reproduction Centre was founded 20 years ago. It is supported and
financed by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Vice President and Prime
Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai. (end)
bmj.gta
KUNA 142110 Apr 09NNNN