[Campbell Biology P.485] A pharmaceutical company is developing a new protein to treat a rar... | Practice Question

A pharmaceutical company is developing a new protein to treat a rare genetic disorder that causes severe blood clotting. Based on the information provided, what would be a significant advantage of producing this protein in transgenic "pharm" animals, such as goats, compared to traditional cell culture methods?

  • A: Transgenic animals synthesize the protein at a much faster rate than cell cultures, significantly reducing production time.
  • B: The protein can be secreted in a readily accessible bodily fluid like milk, making its purification significantly easier and more cost-effective than from cell cultures.
  • C: Transgenic animals eliminate the need for any subsequent purification steps, as the protein is perfectly pure when secreted.
  • D: Transgenic animals can produce an unlimited supply of protein without any environmental or ethical concerns.

Explanation

The text explicitly states that for proteins like antithrombin, which are secreted in milk, purification from milk is 'easier than purification from a cell culture'. This ease of purification from a readily accessible bodily fluid is a key advantage of using 'pharm' animals.