Engineering local Kenyan Irish potato varieties as carriers for edible cholera vaccines
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Date
2025-06-02
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Springer Nature
Abstract
Cholera is a major public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in low-resource areas where vaccine access
is limited. Plant-based production of antigens, like the cholera toxin B subunit, presents a promising supplement for oral
immunization. This study reviews the efciency of Agrobacterium tumefaciens gene-mediated transformation method
in expressing antigenic proteins in three farmer preferred Kenyan Irish potato varieties: Wanjiku, Sherekea, and Shangi.
Aimed at maximizing gene expression, facilitating a scalable production platform for potential edible vaccines. Genetically engineered Irish potatoes represent a transformative innovation at the intersection of agriculture and biotechnology,
ofering a sustainable and cost-efective platform for vaccine production. Acting as bioreactors, transgenic Irish potatoes
provide scalable, safe, and stable solutions to the challenges of traditional vaccine manufacturing, such as high costs,
infrastructure demands, and dependency on cold chain logistics. Despite challenges like regulatory hurdles, public perception of genetically modifed organisms, and technical barriers in antigen expression, ongoing research and development hold promise for overcoming these obstacles. By harnessing the power of molecular farming, scientists can produce
vaccines and therapeutic proteins in potatoes, ofering a near-user-site alternative to traditional production methods.
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Citation
Siamalube, Beenzu, et al. "Engineering local Kenyan Irish potato varieties as carriers for edible cholera vaccines." Discover Plants 2.1 (2025): 177.