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GM Yeast Produces Human Protein

Posted by michael on from the sourdough dept.

Makarand writes "A team of US scientists has been able to genetically modify yeast to produce fully human protein. Human protein chains have specific groups of sugars attached which determine how these proteins will fold and function. The process of attaching these sugars to the protein, called glycoslylation, which has always evaded researchers can now be been carried out in the labaratory using genetically modified yeast. The team removed the yeast's genes that added sugars to the protein in a 'non-human' way and added five new genes to the yeast to add the sugars required by the human protein to fold and function."

6 of 31 comments (clear)

  1. my only question... by BortQ · · Score: 3, Funny

    Is it kosher?

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    A Multiplayer Strategy Game for Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux
  2. suprise by annisette · · Score: 5, Funny

    So the boss suprised them during their 10:00 am kegger and they had to think real fast.

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    I eat my grapes at room temperature, cuz the cold ones hurt my teeth
  3. Mmmmm... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    soylent beer.

  4. Argh! by eviltypeguy · · Score: 2, Funny

    This yeast is made of people! Peeeeoooppplleee!

    (Pardon the Soylent Green reference).

  5. GM Yeast... by greenhide · · Score: 2, Funny

    Sheesh, why can't those people just focus on making reliable cars?

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  6. How about that... by gcalvin · · Score: 3, Funny

    I never knew that GM had a yeast division. Well, I'll tell you one thing: I want the Cadillac yeast, not any of that cheap Chevy yeast.