[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

production of human growth hormone in canola, soy and corn



The patent application below is for the production of animal  growth
hormones in canola and other crops. Bovine growth hormone is used
extensively in USA to increase milk production while human growth
hormone has both legal and illegal applications (in body building).
Currently the blood coagulation drug, hirudin, is reported to be being
produced in western canada canola farms. Hirudin will cause internal
bleeding in many instances and should be designated a dangerous pollutant.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has allowed commercial production of
hirudin with little or no public awareness or input. Development of
growth hormone production is likely to equally secretive.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency seems to be more a coconspirator
than regulator.  No effort seems to have been made to evaluate the
impact of biopharmaceuticals on food production and to look for food
contamination with a deadly drug. Pollution with growth hormone genes
could devastate canadian food production.
United States Patent Application 20020100073
Kind Code  A1
Moloney, Maurice M. ;   et al.  July 25, 2002

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Expression of somatotropin in plant seeds


Abstract
The present invention provides a method of preparing somatotropins in
plants and transgenic plant seeds containing somatotropins. The method
provides an economical way to produce somatotropins.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inventors: Moloney, Maurice M.; (Calgary, CA) ; Habibi, Hamid R.;
(Calgary, CA)
Correspondence Name and Address:      Micheline Gravelle
    Bereskin & Parr
    40 King Street West
    Box 401
    Toronto
    ON
    M5H 3Y2
    CA


Serial No.:  887569
Series Code:  09
Filed:  June 25, 2001

U.S. Current Class: 800/278; 435/69.7; 530/350; 530/399; 536/23.4;
536/23.6; 800/288; 800/298
U.S. Class at Publication: 800/278; 536/23.6; 800/298; 530/350;
435/69.7; 800/288; 530/399; 536/23.4
Intern'l Class:  C12N 015/82; C12P 021/04; A01H 005/00; A01H 005/10;
C12N 015/62



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Claims

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


We claim:

1. A method for the expression of a somatotropin in plants said method
comprising: (a) introducing into a plant cell a chimeric nucleic acid
sequence comprising: (1) a first nucleic acid sequence capable of
regulating the transcription in said host cell of (2) a second nucleic
acid sequence, wherein said second sequence encodes a recombinant fusion
polypeptide and comprises (i) a nucleic acid sequence encoding a
sufficient portion of an oleosin protein to provide targeting of the
recombinant fusion polypeptide to a lipid phase, linked in frame to (ii)
a nucleic acid sequence encoding said somatotropin; and (3) a third DNA
sequence encoding a termination region functional in said plant cell;
and (b) growing said plant cell to produce said recombinant fusion
polypeptide.

2. The method according to claim 1 further including separating the
recombinant fusion polypeptide from cellular host cell components by
selective partitioning into a lipid phase.

3. The method according to claim 1 further including separating the
recombinant fusion polypeptide from cellular host components by
selective partitioning into a lipid phase comprising oil bodies.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein said recombinant fusion
polypeptide is separated by addition of oil body components and
reconstitution of the oil bodies.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said somatotropin is a fish
growth hormone.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein said fish growth hormone is
carp growth hormone.

7. A chimeric nucleic acid sequence encoding a recombinant fusion
polypeptide comprising (i) a nucleic acid sequence encoding a sufficient
portion of an oleosin protein to provide targeting of the recombinant
fusion polypeptide to a lipid phase, linked in reading frame to (ii) a
nucleic acid sequence encoding a somatotropin.

8. A chimeric nucleic acid sequence according to claim 7 having the
nucleic acid sequence shown in SEQ.ID.NO.:1.

9. A chimeric nucleic acid sequence, capable of being expressed in
association with an oil body of a plant cell, comprising: (1) a first
nucleic acid sequence capable of regulating the transcription in said
plant cell (2) a second nucleic acid sequence, wherein said second
sequence encodes a recombinant fusion polypeptide and comprises (i) a
nucleic acid sequence encoding a sufficient portion of an oleosin
protein to provide targeting of the recombinant fusion polypeptide to a
lipid phase, linked in reading frame to (ii) a nucleic acid sequence
encoding a somatotropin; and (3) a third nucleic acid sequence encoding
a termination region functional in said host cell.

10. A chimeric nucleic acid sequence according to claim 9 wherein said
somatotropin is a fish growth hormone.

11. A chimeric nucleic acid sequence according to claim 10 wherein said
fish growth hormone is carp growth hormone.

12. A plant transformed with a chimeric nucleic acid sequence according
to claim 9.

13. A plant according to claim 10 wherein said plant is selected from
the group comprising rapeseed (Brassica spp.), linseed/flax (Linum
usitatissimum), safflower (Carthamus tinctorius), sunflower (Helianthus
annuus), maize (Zea mays), soybean (Glycine max), mustard (Brassica spp.
and Sinapis alba), crambe, (Crambe abyssinica), eruca (Eruca sativa),
oil palm (Elaeis guineeis), cottonseed (Gossypium spp.), groundnut
(Arachis hypogaea), coconut (Cocus nucifera), castor bean (Ricinus
communis), coriander (Coriandrum sativum), squash, (Cucurbita maxima),
Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa) and jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis).

14. A plant seed containing a chimeric nucleic acid sequence according
to claim 9.

15. A plant seed according to claim 14 wherein said seed is obtained
from a dicotelydenous plant.

16. A plant seed according to claim 14 wherein said somatotropin is
expressed in the embryogenic tissue of the seed.

17. A plant seed comprising a recombinantly expressed somatotropin.

18. A plant seed according to claim 17 wherein said somatotropin is
expressed as a fusion protein.

19. A plant seed according to claim 18 wherein said fusion protein
comprises an oleosin.

20. A plant seed according to claim 17 wherein said somatotropin is
expressed in the embryogenic tissue of said seed.

21. A plant seed according to claim 19 wherein said somatotropin is
expressed in the embryogenic tissue of said seed.

22. A plant seed according to claim 21 wherein said somatotropin is fish
growth hormone.

23. A plant seed according to claim 18 wherein said plant seed is
obtained from a dicotelydenous plant.

24. A plant seed according to claim 18 wherein said seed is exalbuminous
seed.

25. A plant seed according to claim 18 wherein said plant seed is
obtained from the group of plants comprising rapeseed (Brassica spp.),
linseed/flax (Linum usitatissimum), safflower (Carthamus tinctorius),
sunflower (Helianthus annuus), maize (Zea mays), soybean (Glycine max),
mustard (Brassica spp. and Sinapis alba), crambe, (Crambe abyssinica),
eruca (Eruca sativa), oil palm (Elaeis guineeis), cottonseed (Gossypium
spp.), groundnut (Arachis hypogaea), coconut (Cocus nucifera), castor
bean (Ricinus communis), coriander (Coriandrum sativum), squash,
(Cucurbita maxima), Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa) and jojoba
(Simmondsia chinensis).

26. A fusion polypeptide encoded for by a chimeric nucleic acid sequence
comprising (i) a nucleic acid sequence encoding a sufficient portion of
an oil body protein to provide targeting of the fusion polypeptide to an
oil body linked in reading frame to (ii) a nucleic acid sequence
encoding a somatotropin.

27. A fusion polypeptide comprising a somatotropin linked to an oil body
protein.

28. A fusion polypeptide according to claim 27 having the sequence shown
in SEQ.ID.NO.:2.

29. A fusion polypeptide according to claim 27 wherein said somatotropin
is biologically active.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

.