Question

What is meant by edible vaccines?

Answer 1

1. Currently, biotechnology is being used to produce edible vaccines, by growing genetically modified plants that can produce transgenic vegetables like potatoes.
2. The desired gene is isolated from the human pathogen. e.g. Vibrio cholerae, Escherichia coli, etc.
3. This gene is then transferred to the plant cells through a transgenic plant virus that infects the pieces of plant leaves.
4. By tissue culture techniques, the entire plant is developed from these leaf pieces which contain the desired gene.
5. The potatoes produced by these plants when consumed raw will help the individual develop immunity against the pathogen and are thus referred to as edible vaccines.