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Questions and Answers
What is one benefit of using plants for vaccine production?
Which of the following was not mentioned as a potential source for vaccines?
What kind of infection does the vaccine produced in tomatoes and bananas target?
What term describes the approach of using plants to produce pharmaceuticals?
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What is a challenge faced by the biopharmaceutical industry despite advancements?
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Which of the following diseases is being targeted with a plant-based pharmaceutical developed by Protalix?
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What is an advantage of using plants over traditional cell cultures for biopharmaceuticals?
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What type of compounds are biotechnologists extracting from plants for pharmaceutical use?
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What is the function of the mRNA molecule encoded by the transferred gene in tomato cells?
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How do plant vaccines function similarly to human vaccines?
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What kind of viruses have plant vaccines been designed to protect against?
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What does the Cry gene from Bacillus thuringiensis produce?
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How do genetically engineered plants utilize the Cry gene?
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What significant benefit does encoding vaccines in plant DNA provide to farmers?
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What strategy is taken to protect crops from insect damage using Bacillus thuringiensis?
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What is one of the primary objectives of using plant vaccines in agriculture?
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What is a benefit of using transgenic crops in medicine?
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How do edible vaccines derived from plants work?
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Which of the following statements about transgenic tobacco plants is true?
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What is the role of the introduced gene in developing edible vaccines?
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Which organization is known for supporting the development of transgenic crops?
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What limitation does Golden Rice face in delivering vitamin A effectively?
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What is one advantage of conventional breeding techniques over transgenic crops?
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The genetic modification of plants for vaccine production relies on what process?
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Study Notes
Plant-Based Vaccines
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The World Health Organization (WHO) called for inexpensive, non-refrigerated vaccines in the early 1990s.
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Researchers are developing edible vaccines in plants like bananas and tomatoes.
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Tomatoes can be engineered to produce vaccines and antibodies through their chloroplasts.
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Biotechnologists utilize plants as "small-scale factories" to produce chemicals for human health.
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Plant biotechnology offers a potential solution for producing complex therapeutic proteins like antibodies, hormones, and enzymes.
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This "molecular farming" promises future applications for treating diseases like cystic fibrosis, hepatitis, and various gastrointestinal illnesses.
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Plant-based pharmaceuticals could offer a cost-effective alternative to traditional cell culture methods for producing medications.
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The first plant-based pharmaceutical product, a drug for Gaucher's disease, is expected to be available soon.
Plant Immunity and Genetic Engineering
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Crops are vulnerable to plant viruses which can harm growth and yield.
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Plant vaccines, similar to human vaccines, use weakened virus strains to stimulate a plant's defenses.
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Plant vaccines can be encoded in the plant's DNA, eliminating the need for injections.
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A gene from tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) can be inserted into tobacco plants, creating TMV-resistant plants.
Genetic Pesticides
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Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) produces a protein that kills harmful insects by breaking down their digestive tract lining.
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The Cry gene, responsible for Bt's insecticidal activity, is being incorporated into crops to create "insect-resistant" plants.
Golden Rice and Nutrition
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Golden Rice, genetically modified to produce beta carotene, offers a potential solution for vitamin A deficiency, which can lead to blindness.
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While promising, genetically modified foods have limitations, such as the need for adequate fat intake to utilize the provitamin in Golden Rice.
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Some groups advocate for conventional breeding methods like Harvest Plus, which aims to improve nutrient content in crops.
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Other groups, like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, support transgenic crops for combating malnutrition.
The Future of Plant Biotechnology in Pharmacology
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Plants can serve as efficient protein factories, with transgenic corn being particularly cost-effective.
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In the future, farmers may grow human medicine along with traditional crops.
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Edible vaccines can be produced by incorporating genes for viral or bacterial subunits into plants, allowing humans to ingest the vaccine with the plant.
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Description
Explore the innovative world of plant-based vaccines and biotechnology. This quiz covers the development of edible vaccines, the use of plants as factories for producing complex therapeutic proteins, and the potential of molecular farming in treating diseases. Test your knowledge on how these advancements could revolutionize pharmaceuticals and healthcare access.
