What are Recombinant Proteins?

About Recombinant Proteins:

• These are proteins encoded by recombinant DNA that has been cloned in an expression vector that supports expression of the gene and translation of messenger RNA.
• Modification of the gene by recombinant DNA technology can lead to expression of a mutant protein.
• It is a manipulated form of native protein, which is generated in various ways in order to increase production of proteins, modify gene sequences, and manufacture useful commercial products.
• It is created by fusing sequences that may not be normally present in an organism.
• Recombinant proteins, such as vaccine antigens, insulin and monoclonal antibodies, are mass-produced by growing modified bacterial, viral or mammalian cells in large bioreactors. The most widely used organism is the yeast Pichia pastoris (now called Komagataella phaffii).
• Application of Recombinant Proteins
  • It is used in biomedical research to understand health and disease.
  • It is used in biotherapeutics.
  • It is used to produce protein-based polymers for drug delivery, antibodies and enzymes for disease treatment, protein scaffolds for tissue engineering etc.

What is protein?

• It is the workhorse in biological systems facilitating most of biological processes in a cell, including gene expression, cell growth, proliferation, nutrient uptake, intercellular communication and apoptosis.
• The blueprint for protein synthesis is stored in DNA, which serves as a template for highly regulated transcriptional processes to produce messenger RNA (mRNA). 

Q1: What is genetic disorder?

A genetic disorder is a medical condition caused by abnormalities or mutations in an individual's DNA or genes. These mutations can be inherited from one's parents or can occur spontaneously during a person's lifetime.

Source: IISc researchers develop novel method for mass production of recombinant proteins