EXPRESSION AND ASSEMBLY OF A FULL-LENGTH MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODY IN PLANTS USING A PLANT-VIRUS VECTOR

We have used a tobacco mosaic virus-based vector to express monoclonal antibody (mAb) CO17-1A, directed to a colon cancer antigen, in plants . Genes encoding heavy and light chains of this antibody were introduc ed independently into the tobacco mosaic virus vector. Upon co-infecti on of Nicotiana benthamiana plants with both recombinant virus constru cts, genes for heavy and light chains were expressed and assembled int o a full-length antibody. A functional plant-expressed antibody was de tected by ELISA and immunoblot in extracts from systemically infected leaves. This is the first report on the use of a plant virus vector to express and assemble a full-size antibody. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.