Plant-made Recombinant Proteins available Commercially, and under Development

We recently developed highly active synthetic templates for delivery of RNA viral vectors as DNA precursors using Agrobacterium, and found that Agrobacterium delivery of such templates can be used to start gene amplification and obtain high-level expression in all mature leaves of a plant, simultaneously. Such a transfection route can be performed on an industrial scale by vacuum-infiltration of batches of multiple plants (Marillonnet et al, unpublished results). In this process, the bacteria assume the (formerly viral) functions of primary infection and systemic movement, whereas the viral vector itself provides for cell-to-cell (short distance) spread, amplification and high-level expression. A comparative analysis of state-of-the-art systems with our approach is illustrated in Fig. 6.1. 

Plant-made Recombinant Proteins available Commercially, and under Development 

A relatively small number of biotechnology companies operate in the field of recombinant proteins production in plants (Table 6.4). This small number represents roughly one-third of approximately 60 dedicated plant biotechnology companies - an unfavorable comparison to the several hundred small and medium-sized businesses that use bacterial, yeast or animal-based expression platforms and operate in the sector of red biotechnology. The number of plant-made recombinant proteins that have reached the market is also very limited, but has a healthy tendency to grow. 

Large Scale Biology http //www.lsbc.com Tobacco 

Meristem Therapeutics http //www.meristem-therapeutics. com Maize, Tobacco 

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