Plant Biotechnology: New Products and Applications (Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology (240))

The title of this volume, Plant Biotechnology: Nell' Products and Applications, may look a little out of place among previous vol­ umes of Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology that have focused mostly on issues related to human health and ani­ mal biology, However, plant biology has always been of immense and has enjoyed an intimate relationship practical importance, with medicine and other biological sciences for centuries, In­ creasing scientific specialization and the dramatic advances in the medical and chemical sciences during this century have left many persons with the impression that plant biology and plant bio­ technology is important only in relation to the agricultural sci­ ences, This is no longer true. Within the past year a genetically engineered plant virus has been used to vaccinate and protect against an animal disease (see the chapter by Lomonossoff and Hamilton), the first human trials of a potential transgenic plant­ based oral vaccine against cholera have been conducted (see the chapter by Richter and Kipp), and the first human trial of an injectable transgenic plant-derived therapeutic protein is under way (discussed in the chapter by Russell et al. ). Today plant biotechnology is being used in new and creative ways to produce therapeutic products for medicine and plastics for industry as well as new disease-and stress-resistant crops for agriculture.

This volume reviews the latest research on using genetically engineered plants and plant viruses to produce new products for medicine and industry. Individual chapters cover the three main technologies for engineering plants: Agrobacterium-mediated transformation; particle bombardment transformation; and plant viral vectors. Additional chapters deal with strategies for producing medically important products such as vaccines, human enzymes, monoclonal antibodies, and other therapeutic proteins in plants. In addition to presenting up-to-date reviews of current research efforts, the book also contains some thoughtful discussions on the potential benefits and risks involved in producing pharmaceuticals in plants and the challenges of bringing such products to market.

The book contains black-and-white illustrations.

Front Matter....Pages I-XI Overview: The Many Uses and Applications of Transgenic Plants....Pages 1-19 Lessons in Gene Transfer to Plants by a Gifted Microbe....Pages 21-57 Particle Bombardment Mediated Transformation....Pages 59-80 Plant Viral Vectors Based on Tobamoviruses....Pages 81-94 Transgenic Plants for Therapeutic Proteins: Linking Upstream and Downstream Strategies....Pages 95-118 Feasibility of Antibody Production in Plants for Human Therapeutic Use....Pages 119-138 Pokeweed Antiviral Protein and Its Applications....Pages 139-158 Transgenic Plants as Edible Vaccines....Pages 159-176 Cowpea Mosaic Virus-Based Vaccines....Pages 177-189 Back Matter....Pages 191-196