Question

Describe biopharming and give two reasons why plants are ideal protein factories.

Answer 1

Biopharming:- Production of proteins antibiotics vaccines in a large scale by using microorganisms is called biopharming, if it is plant's it is called as phyto farming.

Genetically modified plants are used for biopharming of vaccines proteins and other pharmaceutical drugs in large scale with low cost of production is a main motto of biopharming.

r DNA technology is used for expression of desired gene in the plants does it produces more amount of protein which is easier for production and purification.

Production production of various human antibodies and pharmaceutical products, therapeutic proteins vaccines are the majorily produced by bio pharming.

potential risk of producing GM crop should be keep in mind while introducing of desired gene into the plant genome, to minimise the risk of this containment we need to select a proper crop which should be stable and high production.

​​​​​​Generally tobacco, tomato, rice ,banana corn, wheat, alfaalfa, carrot, lettuce , corn are successful in the production of vaccines and pharmaceutical drugs by bio pharming.

Example:- Hepatitis b vaccine is developed by using tomato variety. Similarly banana also used for the production of vaccines and molecualr proteins, tissue plasminogen factors which is used to treatment of hemophilia condition. Production of plantibodies by introducing antibody producing gene and edible vaccines in which the pathogen antigen as protein introduced into the plant genome so that we consume produce the antibodies against the pathogen this edible vaccine works.

Reasons for plants as biopharming:-

1. Low cost of production and high yield.

2. Easy purification and fast production.