This result was carried out by researchers in the group led by Martin Fussenegger, Professor of Chemical and Bioengineering at ETH Zurich. In collaboration with researchers at the University of Freiburg im Breisgau, the PhD student Marc Gitzinger carried out tests to see what happens when unmodified human or mammalian genes are inserted into the moss genome. They transferred the foreign, unmodified genes into the moss and discovered that the moss was easily able to manufacture the proteins encoded therein. The moss remains unaltered for millions of years, both in its appearance and at a genetic level. It clearly retained the ability to read foreign genes such as those from mammals and thus also from humans, and to translate them into proteins, these evolutionary relics could be useful in the production of therapeutic proteins.
Nowadays, therapeutic proteins are mainly manufactured in mammalian cells, which are very expensive to culture. However, moss only needs water, a couple of nutrient salts and some light to allow it to flourish and produce proteins. This makes it convenient and simple. However, further research will be needed before the moss can be used to produce therapeutic proteins on an industrial scale.
The original article can be found in: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090510200001.htm
