Primordial Germ Cell-Mediated Chimera Technology Produces Viable Pure-Line Houbara Bustard Offspring: Potential for Repopulating an Endangered Species

Background The Houbara bustard (Chlamydotis undulata) is a wild seasonal breeding bird populating arid sandy semi-desert habitats in North Afric population has declined drastically during the last two decades and it is classified as vulnerable. Captive breeding programmes have, h reviving population numbers and thus radical technological solutions are essential for the long term survival of this species. The purpo investigate the use of primordial germ cell-mediated chimera technology to produce viable Houbara bustard offspring. Methodology/Principal Findings Embryonic gonadal tissue was dissected from Houbara bustard embryos at eight days post-incubation. Subsequently, Houbara tissue germ cells (gPGCs) was injected into White Leghorn chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) embryos, producing 83/138 surviving male ch chimeric roosters reached sexual maturity after 5 months. The incorporation and differentiation of Houbara gPGCs in chimeric chicken with Houbara-specific primers and 31.3% (5/16) gonads collected from the injected chicken embryos showed the presence of donor H semen samples from 34 chimeric roosters were analyzed and eight were confirmed as germline chimeras. Semen samples from these artificially inseminate three female Houbara bustards. Subsequently, 45 Houbara eggs were obtained and incubated, two of which wer male live born Houbara; the other was female but died before hatching. Genotyping confirmed that the male chick was a pure-line Hou rooster.