The technical reputation of China’s BGI, formerly the Beijing Genomics Institute, is enviable. Its achievements include the first-ever sequencing of the genomes of rice and the giant panda; helping uncover the genetic secrets of sorghum and soya beans; and assisting in unravelling the structure of the Sars virus.
Now it has a new line as a pet dealer. The institute breeds miniature pigs for testing medicines, and has been editing their genomes to manipulate size and other traits. At a recent global summit on biotechnology, it announced it would start selling these bespoke beasts. The so-called micropigs, which reportedly stole the show at the summit, will each cost Rmb10,000 ($1,500). In future, consumers will be able to specify traits, such as coat colour. The cash will provide a modest income stream to run alongside the mighty tide of funds that flow to BGI from the China Development Bank.
Not only are scientists sufficiently comfortable with genome editing to market designer animals, but the tale of the made-to-measure micropigs emerged at about the same time as another porcine breakthrough. Biologists at Harvard University had managed to snip out 62 retroviruses from pig kidney cells. Such deletions are necessary if pig organs are to be exploited for human transplantation; excising viruses cuts the risk of rejection.