• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.287-293
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• 2002

We are trying to develop a transgenic carrot with aims of production and delivery of oral vaccine against microbial enteropathogen using a K88ac pilin gene. A K88ac antigen (pilin) gene was isolated by PCR from the K88ac genomic DNA. The pilin gene was constructed in pGA748 and introduced via Agrobacterium tumefaciens to the explants of carrot hypocotyl and then 494 transgenic lines were established. The amounts of the K88ac antigen produced in each of the cell lines were determined by western and two elite cell lines (M1-17, Y14-1) were selected based on higher levels of expression of the antigens as well as rate of cell growth and efficiency of embryogenesis. In order to test an immunization induced by oral administration of the transgenic carrot, serum of the mice fed with the carrot vaccine were tested in ELISA. It tumed out that the mice fed with 3 g of transgenic carrot showed a similar level of antibody compared to those applied with 10 $\mu\textrm{g}$ of the purified recombinant pilin protein. Besides, various clinical responses were measured after challenging with ETEC K88ac strain to the piglets experiencing an oral immunization with the transgenic carrot. The piglets fed with carrot vaccine showed a lower level of diarrhea in fecal score compared to those fed with non-transgenic carrot. A higher level of increase in weight of the piglets fed with the transgenic carrot vaccine was observed comparing to those fed with non-transgenic carrot as control.