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REVIEW article

Front. Plant Sci.
Sec. Plant Biotechnology
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1426239
This article is part of the Research Topic Expression of Animal Proteins in Plants View all 5 articles

A Review and Outlook on Expression of Animal Proteins in Plants

Provisionally accepted
Leah W. Buchman Leah W. Buchman 1*Daniel Tusé Daniel Tusé 2Matthew McNulty Matthew McNulty 3Karen A. McDonald Karen A. McDonald 4
  • 1 Biotechnology Innovation Organization, Washington, DC, United States
  • 2 DT/Consulting Group, Sacramento, United States
  • 3 Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, United States
  • 4 University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    This review delves into the multifaceted technologies, benefits and considerations surrounding the expression of animal proteins in plants, emphasizing its potential role in advancing global nutrition, enhancing sustainability, while being mindful of the safety considerations. As the world's population continues to grow and is projected to reach 9 billion people by 2050, there is a growing need for alternative protein sources that can meet nutritional demands while minimizing environmental impact. Plant expression of animal proteins is a cutting-edge biotechnology approach that allows crops to produce proteins traditionally derived from animals, offering a sustainable and resource-efficient manner of producing these proteins that diversifies protein production and increases food security. In the United States, it will be important for there to be clear guidance in order for these technologies to reach consumers. As consumer demand for sustainable and alternative food sources rise, biotechnologies can offer economic opportunities, making this emerging technology a key player in the market landscape.

    Keywords: Biotechnology, Molecular Farming, sustainability, Regulatory, Animal protein

    Received: 01 May 2024; Accepted: 25 Jun 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Buchman, Tusé, McNulty and McDonald. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Leah W. Buchman, Biotechnology Innovation Organization, Washington, DC, United States

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.