VPB 321: Animal Biotechnology (2+1)

Applications of recombinant DNA technology

APPLICATION OF RECOMBINANT DNA TECHNOLOGY

• The first products available through rDNA technology were proteins, such as insulin and human growth hormone.
• These products were relatively simple to produce using genetically engineered Escherichia coli bacteria.
• They were followed by more complicated proteins which treated conditions such as blood clots, anemia and hemophilia.
• These more complex proteins required mammalian cell cultures, which are more complicated and costly to produce.
• In addition, rDNA technology is now being used to produce vaccines.

Vaccines

• Biotechnology can be employed to create vaccines that have no pathogenic potential or extraneous material. Vaccines created using rDNA technology introduce plasmid DNA directly into individuals to elicit an immune response.
• It appears that even very small amounts of protein are sufficient to induce immune responses following DNA immunization, and thus, this approach to vaccine development appears to be applicable to a broad number of diseases.
• While the development of biotechnologically derived vaccines is expensive, there appear to be advantages to this approach to immunization.
• Because the immune response is induced by a single gene, rather than the entire organism, infection of the vaccinated individual or infection spreading to others is unlikely.
• Delivery and administration of vaccines in the form of edible transgenic fruits, vegetables or even grains has become a real possibility and an attractive alternative to traditional injectable vaccines.
• Edible vaccines will offer advantages such as ease of production, noninvasive application, and low-budget storage and delivery.
• Potatoes, tomatoes, bananas, soybeans, alfalfa and cereals are the most common foods proposed for edible vaccine delivery.