Why would an insulin producing gene in corn plants be a better alternative than in bacteria?

Expert response from Alan McHughen

CE Biotechnology Specialist and Geneticist

Wednesday, 01/07/2015 12:14

I see lots of potential downsides with using the GE corn to produce insulin, from the more complicated transformation procedure, to more difficult extraction/purification, to the possibility (however remote) of food/feed corn admixtures. I was able to come up with no compelling reason to engineer a corn plant to produce insulin, as long as the bacterial system is operating effectively (which, as I understand, it is). 

Expert response from Alan McHughen

CE Biotechnology Specialist and Geneticist

Wednesday, 01/07/2015 12:14

I see lots of potential downsides with using the GE corn to produce insulin, from the more complicated transformation procedure, to more difficult extraction/purification, to the possibility (however remote) of food/feed corn admixtures. I was able to come up with no compelling reason to engineer a corn plant to produce insulin, as long as the bacterial system is operating effectively (which, as I understand, it is).