Definition of animal pharming In biotechnology and agriculture, what does the term “animal pharming” most accurately describe?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: Programming animals to produce novel products (e.g., biopharmaceuticals) in milk, eggs, or blood

Explanation:

Introduction / Context:Animal pharming (biopharming) is a biotechnological approach where animals are engineered to express valuable therapeutic proteins or industrial enzymes, often secreted in accessible fluids such as milk or egg white.

Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Focus is on “novel products,” not typical agricultural outputs.
  • Expression is typically driven by tissue-specific promoters (e.g., mammary gland).

Concept / Approach:Transgenes encoding human proteins (for example, antithrombin, clotting factors) are integrated into animal genomes to achieve high-yield, scalable bioproduction using existing husbandry and downstream purification methods.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Identify that pharming implies pharmaceuticals or novel proteins.Recognize the role of transgenes and tissue-specific expression to harvest products efficiently.Select the definition that captures “programming animals to produce novel products.”

Verification / Alternative check:Case studies include transgenic goats producing antithrombin in milk and hens producing therapeutic proteins in eggs.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • Conventional farming: not biotechnology-driven production of novel molecules.
  • Transgenics solely for growth: that is genetic improvement, not pharming per se.
  • Clean rooms without modification: housing conditions do not define pharming.

Common Pitfalls:Confusing general transgenic traits (growth, disease resistance) with specific biomanufacturing goals of pharming.

Final Answer:Programming animals to produce novel products (e.g., biopharmaceuticals) in milk, eggs, or blood

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