2. Academic Validation
  3. DNAJC14 gene-edited pigs are resistant to classical pestiviruses

DNAJC14 gene-edited pigs are resistant to classical pestiviruses

  • Trends Biotechnol. 2025 Oct 22:S0167-7799(25)00365-8. doi: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.09.008.
Helen Crooke 1,  Stefanie Schwindt 2,  Sarah L Fletcher 3,  Olaf Isken 2,  Sophie Harding 1,  Nicholas Berkley 1,  Christine Tait-Burkard 3,  Claire Warren 3,  C Bruce A Whitelaw 3,  Norbert Tautz 2,  Simon G Lillico 4
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Virology Department, Animal and Plant Health Agency, APHA-Weybridge, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Addlestone, KT15 3NB, UK.
  • 2 Institute of Virology and Cell Biology, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany.
  • 3 The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, EH25 9RG, UK.
  • 4 The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, EH25 9RG, UK. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 41130838 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.09.008
Abstract

Infectious diseases remain a major impediment to livestock production, negatively impacting both productivity and welfare. Where key interactions between viruses and host proteins have been identified, it is possible to rationally devise intervention strategies. In vitro studies have identified the host protein DNAJC14 as a core component of the replicative cycle of classical pestiviruses. Outbreaks caused by this group of viruses cause enormous losses in stock farming due to culling and export restrictions. Using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, we produced a cohort of pigs with altered DNAJC14. Primary cells from these Animals did not support replication of either classical swine fever virus (CSFV) or bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) in vitro. In vivo challenge with CSFV revealed that the edited pigs displayed complete resistance to Infection. This establishes gene editing as an additional strategy that can contribute to the control of classical pestiviruses.

Keywords

BVDV; CRISPR; CSFV; DNAJC14; pestivirus.

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