Can goats be genetically modified to produce medicinal proteins?

[munky99999]

Like as far as i know. They can be designed so they make certain proteins. So this allows goats to create proteins that are needed for insulin or the proteins for bulletproof vests.

But say they are making proteins that are used in the body like insulin does this affect the goat's system at all? or does the protein simply stock pile up and go unused?

would it also be possible to essentially make toxins(venom from spiders/snakes, etc) useing this same method?

and couldn't you also make it so the goats design narcotics essentially? Like morphine for example.

 

[scott_alexsk]

Yes, it is possible but several things need to be taken into account. One is that extensive information about the expression of particular genes needs to be known. You need to know how to alter the gene in order to produce a very specific compound. A second factor that needs to be taken into account is the question of whether or not it is possible. Even though one may have knowledge of how all the genes are expressed, it is a legitimate question to ask whether or not the chemical pathway necessary to create the specific compound exsists. Also it should be taken into account whether or not you kill the organism in question by making it produce your product. I probably missed something major, but that is my two cents.
-scott

 

[Moonbear]

When they are producing "Pharm" animals for these purposes, they target the milk producing cells. That way, the protein is only produced in milk, and all you need to do to collect the protein and purify it is to milk the goat. I'm not sure what they do with the goat kids...I'd guess they have to either foster them or bottle feed them with milk from a goat that isn't producing any extra proteins.