Genes of mice used to make lean pork

Scientists from China and the United Kingdom have successfully used gene editing to make pigs leaner, improving their overall health and making them cheaper to feed.

A team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing used CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology to introduce genes from mice into pig embryos, resulting in young with 24 percent less body fat.

Pigs carry white fat - or lard - and are not capable of producing brown fat, which is better for insulation. The scientists used special proteins to insert mice genes involved in the production of brown fat into pig embryos.