Goats (Capra hircus) as Bioreactors for Production of Recombinant Proteins Interesting to Pharmaceutical Industry

Freitas Vjf Melo Lm

doi:10.4172/2168-9849.1000130

Abstract

Goats are a particularly efficient mean of producing recombinant proteins since they produce considerable amounts of milk, and incur lower investment and maintenance costs than cows. Thus, the aim of this review is to present the state-of-the-art for obtaining transgenic goats producing recombinant proteins for further utilization in the pharmaceutical industry. Additionally, the approaches to directed site-specific integration of transgene as well as the economic interest for this activity will be discussed.

Highlights

Recombinant DNA technology has revolutionized the production of therapeutic proteins
The first attempts to produce therapeutic proteins from cloned genes were made in yeast and bacteria
Pronuclear microinjection The aim of the first report on genetically manipulated goat embryos was to obtain transgenic animals that secreted pharmaceuticals, and in particular the human tissue plasminogen activator, in their milk [4]

Summary

Introduction

Recombinant DNA technology has revolutionized the production of therapeutic proteins. The first attempts to produce therapeutic proteins from cloned genes were made in yeast and bacteria. The use of farm animals as bioreactors may be the better choice to produce recombinant therapeutic proteins in their mammary gland. For this activity, the term "pharming" (portmanteau of farming and pharmaceutical) was created referring to the use of genetic engineering to obtain a transgenic or genetically modified animal (GMA). The use of GMA technology to domestic animals has been limited due to the high cost of this kind of research. Feasibility and the costs of keeping and breeding the animals should be considered [2]

Difficult DNA microinjection Long generation interval High maintenance cost

Generating Transgenic Goats

Market for Recombinant Proteins from Goats

Findings

Conclusions