‘Molecular Farming’: A New Way to Make a Corona Vaccine

- Future Science-KR Chowdhury

Also read :‘Molecular Farming’: A New Way to Make a Corona Vaccine

The threat of coronavirus worldwide has not yet been identified. Scientists are working on a number of techniques and remedies to defeat coronavirus. The only cure for coronavirus is to strengthen the body's immune system. When the body fails to fight the corona, the body is made more powerful by giving it an extra dose of biological protein in the form of a vaccine from the outside. In order to vaccinate the entire world population, it becomes necessary to produce vaccines on a large scale. To meet the demand for vaccines, scientists are trying different methods of vaccine preparation. Sometimes a large amount of the virus is obtained by infecting the fertilized egg with the virus. Sometimes in a bio-reactor, specific types of proteins are made by adding the necessary DNA or viruses or bacteria to different types of cells. All of these methods are time consuming and expensive. Now two scientists from around the world are using a new method to prepare a vaccine. This method is the safest and cheapest. However, this is the first time the method has been used to obtain a coronavirus vaccine. Which is known as molecular farming.

A new experiment of scientists

Hughes Foster-Bowendo and Gary Cobinger, authors of the latest research paper, state that 'plant-based vaccines are more effective and successful than conventional ones. This is because plant based proteins produce a better response in the body. Between 19 and 2009, scientists measured the success of both vaccines using traditional methods of vaccination against E. coli, hepatitis B virus, rabies virus, noto virus and plant-based methods.

Also read :‘Molecular Farming’: A New Way to Make a Corona Vaccine

Plant-based vaccines provide a more useful and stronger immunity. The development, duration, and progress of the edible vaccine are currently in the clinical trial stage. So the vaccine, developed by molecular farming, seems to take some time to be tested on humans and reach the common man. The advantage of vaccines developed by molecular farming is that with less investment, less infrastructure can be built, and a variety of products can be obtained for large-scale, plant-based, pathological treatment.

Medicago, a Canadian bio-pharmaceutical company, announced in 2021 that it had developed a vaccine using the molecular farming technique of Covid-18. Tobacco plants were used to prepare the vaccine. Through which virus-like particles were prepared. These are called 'Virus Like Particles' (VLPs) in English.

Molecular Farming: A New Technique of Bio Manufacturing

Also read :‘Molecular Farming’: A New Way to Make a Corona Vaccine

In the 19th century, scientists came up with the concept of using molecular farming as a substitute for bio-manufacturing. At a much lower cost than a bio-reactor, scientists can set up a greenhouse setup in a laboratory. Which acts as a bioreactor. By adding a special type of DNA to a plant cell, the necessary biological proteins are produced by its cell. Recently, two scientists from Canada and the United States insisted on using a plant-derived coronavirus vaccine. The research paper has been published in the journal Science. Canadian and American scientists Hughes Foster-Bovendo and Gary Cobinger have published a research paper. Scientists have succeeded in using this method in three clinical trials in the laboratory. A coronavirus vaccine was developed during the trial. A vaccine for influenza was also developed. The peculiarity of the vaccine is that it can be given orally, rather than by injection. So for those who are afraid of injections, the vaccine will be a blessing in disguise. This method of producing biological proteins known as molecular farming is very simple. Scientists insert the required DNA into the genetic material of a plant cell with the help of genetic engineering. The plant is then grown by tissue-culture. The leaves of the plant and the other part, are brought to the laboratory. From which useful proteins are extracted. This protein is then used in vaccine preparation. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fertilized eggs have been used to develop influenza vaccines for the past 20 years. The weakened viruses of the virus to be vaccinated were added to the fertilized chicken eggs. The eggs were kept in an incubator for a certain period of time. An injectable vaccine was then prepared by isolating the virus from the liquid in the egg.

'Virus Like Particles': Non-hazardous cloning of viruses

Virus-like particles (VLPs) produced by tobacco plants are similar to those of coronaviruses. The difference is that these particles cannot spread the infection. The Covid-12 vaccine, developed in the United States, largely works to inactivate spike proteins, such as the thorns of the corona virus, which form the weapon to enter the cell. When the molecular farming based vaccine mimics the whole cell structure of the virus. DNA in 'Virus Like Particle' Or there is no genetic material like RNA. So that it cannot infect man, so that man does not fall ill. In scientific language, 'virus like particles' have a diameter of 10 to 200 nanometers. Which is a kind of biological nano-particle. 'Virus-like particles' can also be prepared using a fungus called yeast or baclovirus. But in the simplest and least expensive method, 'virus-like particles' are produced by plants using bacteria. In technical language it is non-replicative. The scientific technique used for this is known as 'molecular farming'. Virus-like particles are mostly used to make vaccines. The malaria vaccine has also been developed in Europe for the first time using a virus-like particle. Commercially available angerics and cervix, and a vaccine called Gardasil (Human Papillomavirus), have been developed by 'Virus Like Particle'. Currently, virus-like particles are being used extensively to make vaccines against diseases such as human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B, malaria and more.

VLPs Vaccine: Amethyst Cure of the Future !!

Also read :‘Molecular Farming’: A New Way to Make a Corona Vaccine

Humans benefit from virus-like particle vaccines, the ability to present / produce antigens. In VLP, the surface has a repetitive pattern and particle structure. Which stimulates strong immune responses. In this way it helps a person to develop good immunity to the disease. They are very safe for the person being vaccinated and also for those who prepare the vaccine and administer the procedure for it.

Due to which there is no risk to the health workers who carry the vaccine and give the vaccine. Is that why? Because there is no viable viral material in the virus-like particle, it means that people produce the vaccine. They cannot infect themselves. When the virus changes its pattern, it adopts a new structure. Then in some cases the previous vaccine makes it ineffective. There is also a promising alternative for scientists to combat this problem. The surface proteins of the actual virus, the virus can work to fight the newly born species. This type of protein can be modeled.

What are the risks of a virus-like particle vaccine? When a vaccine prepared in this way is given to a patient, the cells become inflamed. The area where the vaccine was given sometimes turns red. There is a mild fever. Sometimes there is a cold y and the body breaks down. Headaches, muscle aches and joint pains have also been reported. Using molecular farming, vaccines can be prepared by virus-like particles.

That is what scientists have proved. Using genetically modified vegetables, fruits and tuber plants, virus-like particle genetic material can be prepared. Scientists have also used carrot plants to obtain virus-like particles. The Corona virus vaccine, which is currently in the research phase, is coming with golden dreams for the future.