On October 7, a major original breakthrough in the field of large-animal genetic breeding was achieved by Professor Yang Lei and Professor Li Guangpeng of Inner Mongolia University, in collaboration with Academician Gao Shaorong’s team from Tongji University. Their research was published in the prestigious Nature sub-journal Nature Biotechnology (Impact Factor: 41.7, 5-Year IF: 59.5). This landmark achievement not only further consolidates Inner Mongolia University's international leadership in cattle and sheep breeding research, but also serves as a vivid testament to the university’s long-standing commitment to disciplinary development and service to national and regional development strategies.

Tackling the Bottleneck in Ruminant Breeding

Ruminant (e.g., cattle and sheep) breeding technology is a critical field for ensuring global meat and dairy supply and enhancing the economic value of animal husbandry. However, traditional approaches to ruminant genetic breeding—primarily diploid somatic cell editing combined with somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT)—face severe limitations:

· The limited proliferative capacity of bovine and ovine somatic cells, combined with their diploid genome, makes gene editing slow and inefficient (often taking 1–2 years).

· Furthermore, incomplete nuclear reprogramming during cloning results in survival rates of less than 5%, drastically reducing the efficiency of genetic breeding.

A Groundbreaking "Trinity Strategy" for Haploid Breeding

To overcome these challenges, the research team pioneered a revolutionary trinity strategy for haploid-based breeding:

1. Androgenetic haploid stem cells (derived from male-only genomes)

2. "Sperm-like" epigenetic remodeling to simulate natural imprinting conditions

3. Non-integrative guide RNA-based editing to ensure precision without genomic disruption

This haploid breeding platform offers a new paradigm for ruminant genetic engineering, dramatically shortening the breeding cycle and improving editing success rates.

International Recognition and Peer Endorsement

Notably, Nature Biotechnology simultaneously published a “News & Views” commentary highlighting and recommending this work, underscoring its international impact and scientific significance.

This achievement represents a milestone in animal genetics and biotechnology, demonstrating Inner Mongolia University's cutting-edge capacity in agricultural science and its commitment to innovative, high-impact research that serves both national needs and global challenges.