GM bananas help prevent 'mystery swine disease'  

臺研發轉基因香蕉 豬吃了可預防“神秘豬病”

據臺灣《中國時報》報道，喂豬吃香蕉，有些怪；但吃了就不會生病，倒是很神奇。臺灣大學研究團隊把豬生殖與呼吸綜合癥(PRRSV)病毒基因接種到香蕉細胞，成功研發出基改香蕉（轉基因香蕉），直接當成口服疫苗，豬吃了可以預防仔豬感染俗稱神秘豬病或藍耳病的PRRSV。[查看全文]

(ECNS) -- A research team in Taiwan has developed a type of transgenic banana, which is used as a vaccine to reduce the risk of pigs contracting a serious disease, according to the Taiwan-based China Times.

Huang Pung-ling, a leading professor on the team from National Taiwan University, said they transplanted the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) into a banana plant's chromosomes and used the plant as a bioreactor to produce an oral vaccine. The stems and leaves are also effective against the virus, he added.

The syndrome, also called blue-ear pig disease or mystery swine disease, can cause serious damage to the swine breeding industry, he said.

Huang said the technology can be applied to cows and sheep to prevent viral diseases, and he expected that in less than 10 years, humans can use it against epidemic diseases.

Patents have already been secured in Taiwan, the mainland and the US, he said, adding that the vaccine can create as much as NT$5 billion ($167 million) in value on the mainland, considering the scale of its breeding industry.

The team's research result was published in the Plant Biotechnology Journal.