Expression of Bioactive Recombinant Human Fibroblast Growth Factor 9 in Oil Bodies of Arabidopsis Thaliana
August 2015
in “
Protein Expression and Purification
”
TLDR Scientists successfully made a human growth factor in a plant, which could help with hair growth and bone development.
In 2015, a study was conducted to express recombinant human Fibroblast Growth Factor 9 (rhFGF9) in the oil bodies of Arabidopsis thaliana, a plant species. The rhFGF9, which has functions in hair growth, bone development, and other physiological processes, was expressed using an oleosin-rhFGF9 fusion gene. The expression of this fusion protein was confirmed through SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. The study found that the oil bodies expressing oleosin-rhFGF9 from the transgenic A. thaliana had a significant proliferation effect on NIH/3T3 cells, indicating the potential for this method in producing bioactive rhFGF9. This research supports the use of oleosin-fusion technology as a method for protein expression.