Therapeutic properties: Genes inserted into button mushrooms can produce proteins such as vaccines and hormones such as insulin Photo: Chris 73/Wikipedia

GM mushrooms that contain human vaccines are being developed by researchers from Penn State University (Pennsylvania) and US mushroom biotechnology company, Agarigen (North Carolina).

Genes inserted into button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) can produce therapeutic proteins such as vaccines, hormones such as insulin, or commercial enzymes such as cellulase for biofuels.  

The team, led by Dr Charles P. Romaine, professor of plant pathology at Penn State University and co-founder of Agarigen, is currently focusing on assembling gene components for expression in the mushroom. 

By the third year of the project, researchers are expected to be able to produce 3 million doses of a drug in 12 weeks.  The project has recently received $2.2 million in funding from the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Eventual worth of the project is estimated at up to $5.9 million.
By Simon Varcoe

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