Conservation of endangered species through somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT)

Abstract

Currently, the conservation of biodiversity is a pressing issue due to the extinction and endangerment of many species. There are multiple reasons for the extinction or endangerment of species including anthropogenic (poaching, hunting, and deforestation) and natural causes (forest fire, invasion of non-local species, climate change, and global warming). The somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is an emerging tactic, which requires the nucleus from a donor somatic cell, which is transferred to the enucleated oocyte in vitro, for the conservation of biodiversity, especially related to the wildlife which is gradually decreasing with the fear of extinction. Somatic cell nuclear transfer has a broad spectrum of potential applications, including the rescue of endangered species, the resurrection of extinct species, the production of transgenic animals, drug production, and regenerative medicine. Reproductive cloning of animals by SCNT can also offer permanent gene editing, genetic modification, and gene derives for the production of species adaptive to their native habitats and the destruction of unwanted invasive species. The overall potential of this technique has not been explored yet, probably due to its limitations. In this review, we discussed cloning through SCNT, the preservation of endangered species through SCNT, and the use of modern genetical concepts in SCNT for the preservation of biodiversity.