Medical Applications of rDNA Technology
| Product | Source Organism for Production | Medical Use | Process |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recombinant human insulin (Humulin) | E. coli (A and B chains separately) | Type 1 diabetes treatment | cDNA → E. coli expression → chain combination |
| Human growth hormone (HGH) | E. coli | Growth hormone deficiency | cDNA → E. coli expression → inclusion body refolding |
| Erythropoietin (EPO) | Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells | Anemia (renal failure, cancer) | cDNA → CHO cells (requires glycosylation) |
| Hepatitis B vaccine | Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) | Hepatitis B prevention | Surface antigen gene → yeast expression |
| Factor VIII | CHO or BHK cells | Hemophilia A treatment | cDNA → mammalian cell expression |
| Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) | CHO cells | Dissolving blood clots in stroke | cDNA → mammalian cell expression |
Agricultural Applications
| Application | Mechanism | Crop Example | Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bt crops | Cry protein from Bacillus thuringiensis inserted via Ti plasmid | Bt cotton, Bt corn | Resistance to insect pests (bollworm) |
| Herbicide tolerance | Bar gene (phosphinothricin acetyltransferase) | Roundup Ready soybean | Survive herbicide treatment |
| Disease resistance | Viral coat protein genes | Papaya (PRSV resistance) | Resistance to ring spot virus |
| Golden Rice | β-carotene biosynthesis genes (phytoene synthase, CRTL1) | Rice | Vitamin A precursor in edible grain |
| Drought tolerance | Transcription factors (DREB genes) | Wheat, rice | Survive water stress |
Bioreactor Products
| Product | Organism | Bioreactor Type | Key Control Parameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antibiotics (e.g., penicillin) | Fungi (Penicillium) | Stirred-tank | pH, dissolved O2 |
| Citric acid | Aspergillus niger | Stirred-tank | Sugar concentration, pH |
| Ethanol | Yeast (S. cerevisiae) | Stirred-tank or fed-batch | Sugar, temperature |
| Monoclonal antibodies | Hybridoma cells | Perfusion bioreactor | Serum-free medium, O2 |