Genetically Engineered Cow Produces World's First Hypoallergenic Milk

The calf completely lacked a milk protein called betalactoglobulin. It also lacked a tail.

By Rebecca Boyle Posted 10.02.2012 at 1:01 pm 8 Comments

Dairy Cows Wikimedia Commons

Cow genes could be modified to prevent the animals from producing proteins that cause allergic reactions, according to a new study. Scientists in New Zealand engineered a dairy cow to lack the milk protein beta-lactoglobulin, while other milk proteins were dramatically increased.

The team used RNA interference to inhibit the expression of certain genes that code for the production of BLG, which causes allergic reactions in people and isn't found in human milk. They tested it on mice first, and then engineered a cow egg cell's nucleus to express the same micro RNAs that shut down BLG. This engineered ovum was fertilized and implanted into a surrogate mother.

The team started with 57 embryos and ultimately got one healthy calf, but unexpectedly, it was born with no tail. The researchers believe this mutation is unrelated to the transgenic change, but they still need to figure out exactly what caused it.

Finally, the team gave the calf hormones to make it produce milk early, and they found the milk contained no BLG. The work shows that RNA interference could be an effective way to modify livestock to have desirable traits, the researchers say. Meanwhile, the researchers are waiting until the calf gets a little older to study the mystery of its missing tail. Their paper is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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8 Comments

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Chutzpah_Coughlin

10/02/12 at 1:24 pm

The cow secreted hypoallergenic milk but CRAVED THE MILK OF OTHER COWS!! What has science done!?

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Robot

10/02/12 at 2:42 pm

We can cure them. We can make them better!

..........meranda.

RAVENs, RUN!

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Robot

10/02/12 at 2:42 pm

We can cure them. We can make them better!

..........meranda.

RAVENs, RUN!

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Vapur9

10/02/12 at 5:35 pm

Why don't they just grow a teat in the lab? Why bother using a whole animal? That's wasteful.

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Robot

10/03/12 at 1:09 pm

MOoooo....

Chew, chew, chew...

Fort!

MOoooo....

Chew, chew, chew...

You know the rest. ;)

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killerT

10/04/12 at 1:05 pm

By now I would have thought they would have engineered a couple plants to satisfy all our nutritional needs.
Why the hell are we still growing an entire cow just to get some milk hardly anybody can properly digest?
The cows have the right idea, just go outside and eat whatever is growing.
When are we going to be able to the same at lunch time?
This is why all the talk about ending hunger is a joke.
What a waste.

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DrJur

10/12/12 at 1:52 am

"Beta-lactoglobulin represents about 50-60% of
the whey proteins. It is a retinol binding
protein, which is thought to play a part in the
absorption and availability of Vitamin A."W.S.D.R. vol.14#2
why dont we just get rid of something with potential benefits, and the link to the official article says an increase in casein which people are also allergic too and it doesnt state a decrease of lactose, so hypoallergenic not likely... this article makes no sense

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Peter10

10/21/12 at 1:27 pm

What's wrong with people nowadays? They cannot digest milk and other diary products. They are allergic to peanuts. Etc. etc.

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