This Milk is as good as Mommy makes!

When I reflect upon the progress of science within the past few decades I am mesmerized. Technology has advanced from brick like phones to touch screen mini computers that run powerful applications, we are able to harvest energy from the Sun and lately a new and most exciting field has come to life - biotechnology. The ability of scientists to sequence DNA and more importantly to manipulate DNA expression has given rise to possibilities that were only fantasies in science fiction books a few years back.

Biotechnology is the field of technology that harnesses cellular and biomolecular processes to develop technologies and products that help improve our lives and the health of our planet.  Work in this field yields novel solutions to some of the most important current issues. We are now able to produce fuel with the help of living bacteria, create drugs, silk and even transplant organs via transgenic animals. Many people are somewhat repulsed at the thought of a transgenic animal, imagining monster like creatures that are ready to devour the existing phyla and destroy the planet. When taking a closer look at animals created in the lab via transgenic expression, the monster feature is not quite there and they are rather harmless and beneficial beings in most cases.

Genetic engineering of goats is a relevant example of how science associated with our long lasting reliance on animals can help not only provide food but also cures for some human conditions. Recently, scientists at the University of California Davis have reported that goat milk with extra lysozyme, an antimicrobial protein present in human breast milk, helps young pigs recover from diarrhea faster in comparison to the control group fed with milk from non-transgenic goats. The researchers report that the pigs nourished with the lysozyme milk experienced less intestinal inflammation, had less damage to the inner intestines, were better hydrated, and recovered their energy faster than did the pigs in the control group. Important to note is that no adverse effects were identified in association with nourishment of pigs with lysozyme rich milk.

These findings offer hope that such milk may eventually aid prevention of human diarrheal diseases that claim yearly the lives of 1.8 million children around the world and impair the physical and mental development of other couple millions.

 Lysozyme limits the growth of certain bacteria that cause intestinal infections and diarrhea while it boosts the growth of other beneficial intestinal bacteria. Thus lysozyme is thought to be one of the key components of human milk that contribute to the health and well-being of breast-fed infants.

Naturally, lysozyme occurs in the tears, saliva, and milk of all mammals, however the protein is produced at very high levels in human breast milk compared to the milk of goats and cows. The little natural production of lysozyme in animal milk drove the need to enhance protein levels in the milk of goats using genetic modification.

The goats that produce “the mommy like milk “have been genetically manipulated to express the gene responsible for production of the lysozyme in milk at close rate to humans. The technique used is called microinjection. This process entails the injection of a specific DNA sequence from humans into the fertilized egg of a goat, and implantation of the egg in the carrying mother. The injected human DNA integrates in the goat DNA, thus the goat expresses the human gene and produces high levels of lysozyme in the milk. The expression of this gene in goats was reported to be of no harm to the animals, and actually boosted the health of the animals in comparison to the wild type goats. The milk from the transgenic goats could be used as a source for baby formula, closer in its protein content to the human breast milk.  Breastfeeding infants has been associated with healthy digestive function and better immune system.  In cases where breastfeeding is not possible the use of formula resembling the human breast milk would be more desirable and would increase the chances for a healthier baby.

Genetically modified organisms are highly debated in the United States and many countries around the world. Science provides data that such organisms could be of much benefit to humans and our planet with reduced risks. I think it is the right time for our society to gain more scientific literacy and be able to judge the data as is, without invoking unfounded doubts when it comes to adopt policies to make use of the science’s wonders.

Sources:

Pat Bailey, Futurity. Org, Research News from top universities, Web.  March 14^th 2013

 http://www.futurity.org/human-anti-microbe-protein-added-to-goat-milk/

Anthes, Emily. Frankenstein's Cat: Cuddling up to Biotech's Brave New Beasts. 1st. Edition. New York: Scientific American, 2013. Print.es, Emily