An integrated genomic and proteomic characterization of induced seed storage organelles for the optimal production of biopharmaceuticals in plants and plant cells

Abstract

The scientific objectives of the Project aim towards developing a comprehensive understanding of the genome and proteome of rice and Arabidopsis, in the first tier but also tobacco, a species that has unique attributes for specific applications in the field of molecular farming. The project’s key objectives are: (1) Understand qualitative and quantitative changes in protein composition a plant undergoes during the formation of endogenous and induced storage protein bodies (PBs) at the genomic and proteomic levels; (2) characterize the final protein composition (proteome) of induced storage bodies in order to understand the mechanism of PB formation, specifically focusing on their use as production tools and delivery vehicles for molecular farming applications; (3) establish a knowledge basis, founded on proteomic and genomic characterisation, that will allow identification of genes and proteins that might influence either positively or negatively the accumulation of exogenous proteins in plants and plant cells; (4) use the above knowledge to propose more refined strategies for maximizing productivity of valuable recombinant proteins for molecular farming applications and test these using a commercially relevant protein (EGF, Epidermal Growth Factor).