Expression of recombinant human acetylcholinesterase in transgenic plants

Abstract

Briefly stated, the invention includes a method of making a transgenic plant that is capable of expressing a physiologically active human acetylcholinesterase, comprising the steps of introducing into at least one plant cell a polynucleotide that encodes a human acetylcholinesterase, and regenerating from the plant cell a transgenic plant that is capable of expressing a physiologically active human acetylcholinesterase in at least one tissue type of the transgenic plant. Another embodiment of the invention includes a method of making a physiologically active human acetylcholinesterase, comprising the steps of introducing into at least one plant cell a polynucleotide that encodes a human acetylcholinesterase, regenerating from the plant cell a transgenic plant that is capable of expressing a physiologically active human acetylcholinesterase in at least one tissue type of the transgenic plant, and isolating or purifying from the transgenic plant or a part thereof a physiologically active human acetylcholinesterase.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of making a physiologically active human acetylcholinesterase, comprising the steps of: 
 a) introducing into at least one plant cell a polynucleotide that encodes a human acetylcholinesterase;    b) regenerating from said plant cell a transgenic plant that is capable of expressing said physiologically active human acetylcholinesterase in at least one tissue type of said transgenic plant; and    c) isolating or purifying from said transgenic plant or a part thereof said physiologically active human acetylcholinesterase.    
     
     
         2 . A method of treating a victim of acetylcholinesterase poisoning, comprising the step of administering a therapeutic amount of a physiologically active human acetylcholinesterase expressed in plant tissue.  
     
     
         3 . An isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleic acid molecule including a sequence selected from the group consisting of: 
 a) SEQ ID NO:1;    b) SEQ ID NO:2;    c) SEQ ID NO:3;    d) SEQ ID NO:4; and    e) SEQ ID NO:5.    
     
     
         4 . A transformed cell comprising the polynucleotide of  claim 3.