Edible vaccines are produced through molecular farming with the assistance of transgenic engineering.

The preparation of these vaccines involves the selection of desired genes into plants and inducing them to generate the necessary protiens. This process is called transformation due to the production of transgenic plants. The vaccines produced target the mucosal membranes and this results in an immune response stimulation. Edible vaccines are relevant, especially for developing countries due to their inability to afford expensive vaccines. These vaccines are inexpensive and dont have special storage requirements. Due to this there are transgenic crops grown in developing countries to assist in diseases such as diabetes, mellitus-type I, diarrohea, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Edible vaccines consist of antigens and are rid of pathogens. Antigens are substances that stimulate an immune response in the body, resulting in the production of antibodies. Pathogens, on the other hand, are agents that produce diseases, such as a virus or bacterium. As stated above, the process of insertion of a gene into the host plant genome and the manifestation of the desired gene is known as transformation. There are many transformation methods applied in order to transfer the genetic material. A common method that is used involves the manipulation of a bacteria in the genus Agrobacteium, which is a bacteria that can shift its DNA material to another species. Plant transformation with the use of agrobacterium consists of the elimination of their disease inducing genes, aquiring their DNA (T-DNA or transfer DNA) and inserting their genetic materialto be transferred. The genetically engineering agrobacterium or bacterial ``truck`` is combined with the necessary plant cells and is then permitted to transforn them. Transformation with the use of agrobacterium takes place through dicots, which are non-grassy plants. It is challenging to perform transformation with grains. The methods of insertion consist of chemical treatment or electroporation of protoplasts with the use of a ``gene gun``. The technique of chemical treatment or electroporation involves exposure of plants to chemicals to chemical substances or to an electrical field that causes the cell membrance of the protoplast to become more porous. This aids in the DNA transferring upwards from the surroundings. Microscopic particles containing DNA, are ``shot`` utilizing a gene gun into the plant tissues. The DNA then needs to be integrated into the host plant genome with elements such as transfer DNA from agrobacterium. The location of insertion of agrobacterium into the plant cells is crucial to the effects of the genes on the entire organism. Due to this, transformation through gene splicing can result in unexpected effects. Most of the time genetically engineered plants consist of a promoter gene. Agrobacterium is a promoter gene which assits in the transfer of the necessary genes into a plant`s genome.

In microorganisms, plasmids are known to move readily between bacteria. In crop genetic engineering, plasmids are invariably used

and are derived from the tumor-inducing plasmid (the Ti-plasmid) of the bacterium Agrobacterium, as discussed earlier.

What is the importance of the biological product; which company makes the product? How is the product made In a fermentation (using any kind of microbial, animal or plant cells) 1. Cheapest nutrients and their conversion steps into fermentable ones 2. Type(s) of organism(s), and their metabolism(s), to convert nutrients into product 3. Conditions of fermentation 4. Steps to recover product from broth For non-fermentation processes: 1. Source(s) of biological reactant(s) and conversion steps to make them usable 2. Conditions of use to ensure that product performs (are there any nutrients needed; how does product recognizes cells) Process diagram An assignment for other students: one question (no answer) in presentation; one question/answer in report. Assignments are due on Feb. 28th (for presentations during Feb. 711), or on Mar. 7th (for presentations during Feb. 14-18). One mid-term exam question: one question (no answer) in presentation; one question/answer in report. Instructor will use 6 questions out of the 12 groups, worth 25% of the mid-term marks.

Plasmid transformation is used to put the antigen into the bacteria and then put the bacteria into the plants.