title: Expression of recombinant human acetylcholinesterase in transgenic tomato plants.
abstract: Enzyme therapy for the prevention and treatment of organophosphate poisoning depends on the availability of large amounts of cholinesterases. Transgenic plants are being evaluated for their efficiency and cost-effectiveness as a system for the bioproduction of therapeutically valuable proteins. Here we report production of a recombinant isoform of human acetylcholinesterase in transgenic tomato plants. Active and stable acetylcholinesterase, which retains the kinetic characteristics of the human enzyme, accumulated in tomato plants. High levels of specific activity were registered in leaves (up to 25 nmol min(-1) mg protein(-1)) and fruits (up to 250 nmol min(-1) mg protein(-1)).
authors.affiliation: Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research Inc., Cornell University, Tower Road, Ithaca, New York, USA. tsafrir.mor@asu.edu
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Mor
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sternfeld
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Soreq
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Arntzen
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Mason
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D017931:DNA Primers; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000235:genetics*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000201:enzymology; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase