Preparation of recombinant proteins in milk to improve human and animal health.

Soler, Eric; Thépot, Dominique; Rival-Gervier, Sylvie; Jolivet, Geneviève; Houdebine, Louis-Marie

Milk is a very abundant source of proteins for animal and human consumption. Milk composition can be modified using transgenesis, including exogenous gene addition and endogenous gene inactivation. The study of milk protein genes has provided researchers with regulatory regions capable of efficiently and specifically driving the expression of foreign genes in milk. The projects underway are aimed at modifying milk composition, improving its nutritional value, reducing mammary infections, providing consumers with antipathogen proteins and preparing purified recombinant proteins for pharmaceutical use. The present paper summarises the current progress in this field.