The structures resembled the way casein naturally organizes itself in milk.
By Shula Rosen
Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have successfully produced one of cow’s milk’s main proteins inside plants, a development that could eventually help make real dairy ingredients without relying on cows.
The study, published in Frontiers in Plant Science, focused on β-casein, a protein that helps give milk its nutritional value and plays an important role in its texture and ability to be made into cheese.
The research was led by Prof. Oded Shoseyov of the Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and lead author Almog Ozeri, with Mai Shamir, Miron Abramson, Barak Cohen and Amir Rudich. The researchers collaborated with Miruku, a New Zealand-based company.
The scientists initially worked with Arabidopsis, a plant commonly used in research. They genetically modified its seeds so they would manufacture the same β-casein protein found in cow’s milk.
They then tried directing the milk protein to different areas inside the plant’s cells to determine where it could be produced and stored most effectively.
The result surprised them. Instead of reaching the storage area the scientists had intended, the β-casein gathered in newly observed protein-rich structures surrounding tiny stores of plant oil.
The structures resembled the way casein naturally organizes itself in milk.
The plants continued to produce healthy, germinating seeds despite carrying the additional protein.
In the most successful plants, β-casein accounted for approximately 1.26% of the total soluble protein in the seeds, a level higher than many previously reported attempts to produce casein in plants.
“One of the most exciting aspects of science is when nature surprises you,” Shoseyov said. “We set out to send the protein to one location inside the cell, but instead discovered that the plant had effectively created its own storage solution.”
The researchers have since moved beyond laboratory Arabidopsis plants and successfully introduced the dairy proteins into safflower.
The oilseed crop can grow in hot climates and arid land, potentially making it suitable for producing nutritional proteins as demand increases and growing conditions become more challenging.
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