Genetically modified birds (GM birds) are organisms from the biological class Aves whose genetic material (DNA) has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. In some cases, the aim is to introduce a new trait to the birds which does not occur naturally in the species, i.e. transgenesis. Attempts to produce transgenic birds began before 1980.
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Bird flu
One potential use of GM birds could be to reduce the spread of avian disease. Researchers at Roslin Institute have produced a strain of GM chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) that does not transmit avian flu to other birds; however, these birds are still susceptible to contracting it. The genetic modification is an RNA molecule that prevents the virus reproduction by mimicking the region of the flu virus genome that controls replication. It is referred to as a "decoy" because it diverts the flu virus enzyme, the polymerase, from functions that are required for virus replication. There are other strategies to developing these GM birds. The second involves inserting a working copy of a gene that makes an antiviral protein called Mx, which is defective in many chicken breeds, but can improve their ability to fight-off the H5N1 bird flu strain and others. The third approach is called RNA interference, in which small fragments of the RNA are used to disrupt the functioning of the flu virus. By developing GM chicken cells to make small RNA molecules that confuse the flu virus, it is hoped to confer resistance to a wide variety of strains. All three could potentially be incorporated in the same GM chickens.
Paleontological Research
A team of geneticists lead by University of Montana paleontologist Jack Horner is seeking to modify a chicken to express several features present in ancestral maniraptorans but absent in modern birds, such as teeth and a long tail, creating what has been dubbed a 'chickenosaurus'. Parallel projects have produced chicken embryos expressing dinosaur-like skull, leg, and foot anatomy.