Purpose

The overall goal of this project is to develop a speciality soybean that can produce in its seed a protein that is antigenic against a swine viral disease, Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS).

The hypothesis is that by developing a soybean that can produce an edible vaccine, we can develop a new soybean product with a high market value and, thus, increase the margin of profit to US soybean farmers.

Objectives

1. Transform soybean with ORF4, ORF5, and ORF6 protein gene constructs.
2. Regenerate stable transgenic plants.
3. Study the expression of the gene(s) & determine antigenic protein content in transgenic seed.
4. Demonstrate antigenicity in soybean seed, and assay of the immune response of mice and pigs fed with this seed.
5. Develop two-gene transgenic soybean plants.

Impact

The value-added soybean that will be developed in this project will have a significant impact on the commercial value of this speciality soybean as it will be produced for the purpose of delivering an oral edible vaccine.

Soybean growers will be able to market this speciality soybean to the pharmaceutical and health industry and, thus, provide a new and novel use for soybean products.