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After transformation, the altered cells are not left to grow
randomly. They are nurtured in tissue culture systems—
petri dishes or hydroponic gels enriched with growth
hormones—where they regenerate into full, genetically
modified plants. Alternatively, if the gene has been inserted
into the germline, scientists can propagate whole new
plants from modified seeds.
From a few transformed cells, an entire population of
protein-producing plants can be created—identical, stable,
and ready to grow biopharmaceuticals leaf by leaf. It’s a
process that combines microbial cunning, botanical
regeneration, and genomic precision. Nature provides the
mechanism. We provide the blueprint. And together, they
grow the cure.
Step 3: Expression and Accumulation
Once inside the plant, the gene begins to do its work.
Cellular machinery reads the DNA, transcribes it into RNA,
and translates that into protein. Depending on the construct
design, the protein may accumulate in the cytoplasm, be
secreted into plant tissues, or even be stored in specific
compartments like vacuoles for stability.
In some systems, the protein is harvested and purified. But
in many edible biologic platforms, the plant tissue itself is
the drug. This dramatically simplifies the process—
eliminating the need for downstream purification, sterile
fill-finish, and cold-chain distribution. Instead, leaves are
harvested, freeze-dried, milled into powder, and
encapsulated—or in some cases, consumed directly.
Step 4: Why Lettuce, Duckweed, and Rice?
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