Molecular Biotech
MOLECULAR FARMING
INTRODUCTION
Biotechnology in agriculture has two categories: 1. “Improvements” to existing livestock and crops, and 2. Development of entirely new uses for both animals and plants (biopharming). “Improvements", include ‘input traits’ such as crops with extra resistance to insect attack, improved weed control, increase the plants tolerance to cold, drought and other environmental factor. Ex "Roundup ready" soya, "Starlite" corn, or "Frost-tolerant" tomatoes.
WHY PLANTS?
• Plants are also very flexible and can produce a wide variety of proteins. • Crop plants can synthesize a wide variety of proteins that are free of mammalian toxins and pathogens. • Crop plants produce large amounts of biomass at low cost and require limited facilities. • Crops are therefore well suited for the production of safe low-cost therapeutic proteins.
HOW IS IT DONE?
• Genetic enhancement is used to introduce and express genes coding for the high value proteins.
PRODUCTION OF BRYODIN IN TOBACCO PLANT • Tobacco plants that are able to produce bryodin. • This protein, which is produced in the roots of bryonia, deactivates ribosomes and is being tested for its effect against HIV infection.
Plant Transformation
1. The plant leaf disc is dipped in a solution of bacteria. The bacterial "Trojan Horse" infects the edges of the leaf disc and in the process integrates the pharmaceutical protein gone into the plant genome (pict 1). After infection the discs are placed on selection media that a flows only plant cells that carry the protein gene to survive and regenerate into plantlets. After about six weeks on selection media, a large number of plantlets that carry the pharmaceutical protein gene are visible at the edges of the original leaf disc (pict 2 & 3).
2.
3. The plantlets are removed from the leaf disc and placed in clear plastic boxes that contain media that allows them to form roots (pict 4). 4. The rooted plantlets are placed in pots and
INTRODUCTION
Biotechnology in agriculture has two categories: 1. “Improvements” to existing livestock and crops, and 2. Development of entirely new uses for both animals and plants (biopharming). “Improvements", include ‘input traits’ such as crops with extra resistance to insect attack, improved weed control, increase the plants tolerance to cold, drought and other environmental factor. Ex "Roundup ready" soya, "Starlite" corn, or "Frost-tolerant" tomatoes.
WHY PLANTS?
• Plants are also very flexible and can produce a wide variety of proteins. • Crop plants can synthesize a wide variety of proteins that are free of mammalian toxins and pathogens. • Crop plants produce large amounts of biomass at low cost and require limited facilities. • Crops are therefore well suited for the production of safe low-cost therapeutic proteins.
HOW IS IT DONE?
• Genetic enhancement is used to introduce and express genes coding for the high value proteins.
PRODUCTION OF BRYODIN IN TOBACCO PLANT • Tobacco plants that are able to produce bryodin. • This protein, which is produced in the roots of bryonia, deactivates ribosomes and is being tested for its effect against HIV infection.
Plant Transformation
1. The plant leaf disc is dipped in a solution of bacteria. The bacterial "Trojan Horse" infects the edges of the leaf disc and in the process integrates the pharmaceutical protein gone into the plant genome (pict 1). After infection the discs are placed on selection media that a flows only plant cells that carry the protein gene to survive and regenerate into plantlets. After about six weeks on selection media, a large number of plantlets that carry the pharmaceutical protein gene are visible at the edges of the original leaf disc (pict 2 & 3).
2.
3. The plantlets are removed from the leaf disc and placed in clear plastic boxes that contain media that allows them to form roots (pict 4). 4. The rooted plantlets are placed in pots and