Isolation of cDNA from Jacaratia mexicana encoding a mexicain-like cysteine protease gene.

Cysteine proteases (CPs) from the C1 family, which are similar to papain, can be found in animals and plants, as well as some viruses and prokaryotes. These enzymes have diverse physiological functions and are thus very attractive for science and industry. Jacaratia mexicana, a member of the Caricaceae plant family, contains several CPs, the principal being mexicain, found to favorably compete against papain for many industrial applications due to its high stability and specific activity.

In vitro production of plant peroxidases--a review.

In the latest two decades, the interest received by plant enzymes has increased significantly. Plant enzymes such as peroxidases are widely used in medicine as diagnostic tools and in the bioremediation and biobleaching industries, among others. Traditionally, these enzymes have been obtained from a natural source, a process that is sometimes laborious and affected by weather conditions and low yields.

Increased accumulation and stability of rotavirus VP6 protein in tobacco chloroplasts following changes to the 5' untranslated region and the 5' end of the coding region.

Rotavirus is the main cause of gastroenteritis in children worldwide, and the World Health Organisation has recommended that a rotavirus vaccine should be included in all infant immunization programmes. VP6 is the most immunogenic rotavirus subunit and is a potential target for an oral subunit vaccine. VP6 accumulated at up to 3% of total soluble protein in the young leaves of transplastomic tobacco plants, but the protein was unstable and was lost as the leaves aged.

Production of plant proteases in vivo and in vitro--a review.

In the latest two decades, the interest received by plant proteases has increased significantly. Plant enzymes such as proteases are widely used in medicine and the food industry. Some proteases, like papain, bromelain and ficin are used in various processes such as brewing, meat softening, milk-clotting, cancer treatment, digestion and viral disorders.

Immunogenicity of chloroplast-derived HIV-1 p24 and a p24-Nef fusion protein following subcutaneous and oral administration in mice.

High-level expression of foreign proteins in chloroplasts of transplastomic plants provides excellent opportunities for the development of oral vaccines against a range of debilitating or fatal diseases. The HIV-1 capsid protein p24 and a fusion of p24 with the negative regulatory protein Nef (p24-Nef) accumulate to ∼4% and ∼40% of the total soluble protein of leaves of transplastomic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) plants.

Plastid transformation of high-biomass tobacco variety Maryland Mammoth for production of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) p24 antigen.

Chloroplast transformation of the high-biomass tobacco variety Maryland Mammoth has been assessed as a production platform for the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) p24 antigen. Maryland Mammoth offers the prospect of higher yields of intact functional protein per unit floor area of contained glasshouse per unit time prior to flowering. Two different transformation constructs, pZSJH1p24 (for the insertion of a native p24 cDNA between the rbcL and accD genes) and pZF5 (for the insertion of a chloroplast-codon-optimized p24 gene between trnfM and trnG) were examined for the production of p24.

High-level expression of human immunodeficiency virus antigens from the tobacco and tomato plastid genomes.

Transgene expression from the plant's plastid genome represents a promising strategy in molecular farming because of the plastid's potential to accumulate foreign proteins to high levels and the increased biosafety provided by the maternal mode of organelle inheritance. In this article, we explore the potential of transplastomic plants to produce human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antigens as potential components of an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) vaccine. It is shown that the HIV antigens p24 (the major target of T-cell-mediated immune responses in HIV-positive individuals) and Nef can be expressed to high levels in plastids of tobacco, a non-food crop, and tomato, a food crop with an edible fruit.