Engineered Plants to Produce Dairy Proteins in Seeds

Scientists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have unlocked a way to grow β-casein, a milk protein, inside engineered plant seeds. By fusing this protein with a plant oil protein called oleosin, the dairy compound was successfully produced inside transgenic Arabidopsis seeds, representing a major advance for plant molecular farming.

To find the best storage site in the seed, three different signals were tested to direct the protein to different cellular compartments. While the protein was expected to settle in the vacuole, microscopic images revealed that the fused protein were directed to the cytoplasm, forming specialized oil-storing bodies. Despite this unexpected detour, these engineered seeds yielded 1.26% of total soluble protein, showing a significant improvement over earlier attempts in crops like potatoes and tomatoes.

While the technology remains in its early experimental stages and further optimization is required before commercial scales can be reached, the identification of these cellular pathways is seen as a critical milestone. By continuing to refine these targeted storage mechanisms, scientists could eventually produce seed-based dairy proteins, helping feed a growing world population nutritiously while significantly reducing agricultural emissions.

To learn more, read the full study from Frontiers in Plant Science.