Transgenic chloroplast

Tab. 8.1 The production of therapeutic proteins for human or animal health in transgenic chloroplasts (updated from reference 36).

Fig. 8.1 Western blot analysis of transgenic lines showing the expression of an assembled monoclonal antibody in transgenic chloroplasts. Lane 1 Extract from a chloroplast transgenic line, Lane 2 Extract from an untransformed plant. Lane 3 Positive control (human IgA). The gel was run under non-reducing conditions. The antibody was detected with an AP-conjugated goat anti-human kappa antibody.

Fig. 8.2 HSA accumulation in transgenic chloroplasts. (A-C) Electron micrographs of immunogold-labeled tissues from untransformed leaves (A) and mature leaves transformed with the chloroplast vector pLDApsbAHSA (B-C). Magnifications A x 10000 B x 5000 C x 6300.

Fig. 8.3 Expression of IGF-1 in transgenic chloroplasts after continuous light exposure for 13 days. IGF-1 expression is shown as a percentage of the total soluble protein. IGF-1 n is the native gene and IGF-1 s is the chloroplast codon-optimized gene.

Since thousands of copies of the plastid genome can be found per plant cell, extremely high levels of foreign protein are able to accumulate in plants that harbor transgenic chloroplasts. Expression levels greater than 40% of total soluble cellular protein, or 10-100 times higher than protein expression from nuclear transformants, have been detected from plastid transformants. 

Quesada-Vargas, T., Ruiz, O.N., and Daniell, H. (2005). Characterization of heterologous multigene operons in transgenic chloroplasts, transcription processing and translation. Plant Physiol. 138 1746-1762. 

Watson, J., Koya, V, Leppia, S.H., and Daniell, H. (2004). Expression of Bacillus anthracis protective antigen in transgenic chloroplasts of tobacco, a non-food/feed crop. Vaccine 22 4374-4384. 

Limaye, A., Koya, V., Samsam, M., and Daniell, H. (2006). Receptor-mediated oral delivery of a bioencapsulated green flnorescent protein expressed in transgenic chloroplasts into the monse circnlatory system. FASEB J. 

---