Biotechnology researchers at University of Freiburg in Germany have discovered that the moss Physcomitrella patens has the ability to read unmodified genes of mammals and can use this ability to produce proteins usually reserved for mammals. The researchers have attributed this ability to the belief that the plant once had the ability to read and enact foreign genes, and that it has not undergone any physical or genetic changes in the past 450 million years, therefore retaining this ability.

This ability has large industrial and therapeutic applicability, with today’s supply of therapeutic proteins such as insulin falling far short of the demand. Such proteins previously needed to be grown in specialised mammal cells, which are themselves in short supply and high demand and are expensive to culture; these cells need a constant supply of nutrients and oxygen and need to be kept at body temperature. The cells of the Physcomitrella patens simply need water, light and some nutrient salts to produce the same proteins as mammal cells.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090510200001.htm