Generation of a transgenic cashmere goat using the piggyBac transposition system

•We used PB transposon to produce transgenic Cashmere goats.•One expressed EGFP of transgenic infant goat was obtained in our study.•Twenty-three integration sites of PB transposon were identified in transgenic goat genome.•We found that the PB transposon target site showed a preference for AT-rich regions.

The development of transgenic technologies in the Cashmere goat (Capra hircus) has the potential to improve the quality of the meat and wool. The piggyBac (PB) transposon system is highly efficient and can be used to transpose specific target genes into the genome. Here, we developed a PB transposon system to produce transgenic Cashmere goat fetal fibroblasts (GFFs) with the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). We then used the genetically modified GFFs as nuclear donors to generate transgenic embryos by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). The embryos (n = 40) were implanted into female goats (n = 20). One transgenic kid that expressed EGFP throughout the surface features of its body was born. This result demonstrated the usefulness of PB transposon system in generating transgenic Cashmere goats.