Sowing the seeds of success: pharmaceutical proteins from plants

Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2005 Apr;16(2):167-73. doi: 10.1016/j.copbio.2005.01.005.

Abstract

Among the many plant-based production systems that have been developed for pharmaceutical proteins, seeds have the useful advantage of accumulating proteins in a relatively small volume and in a stable environment in which they are protected from degradation. Several seed crops, including cereals, grain legumes and oilseeds, have been explored as production platforms, and the first commercial products -- all technical proteins and enzymes -- have already reached the market. Recent studies have explored the use of seeds for the production of pharmaceutical proteins, particularly replacement human proteins, recombinant antibodies and (oral) vaccines.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies / chemistry
  • Biotechnology / methods*
  • Edible Grain / genetics
  • Fabaceae / genetics
  • Genes, Plant
  • Genes, Reporter
  • Humans
  • Nicotiana / genetics
  • Pharmaceutical Preparations / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / metabolism*
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Plant Physiological Phenomena
  • Plant Proteins
  • Plants / metabolism
  • Plants, Genetically Modified
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry
  • Seeds / metabolism
  • Vaccines / chemistry

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Pharmaceutical Preparations
  • Plant Extracts
  • Plant Proteins
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Vaccines