Rosie : The transgenic cow

3D confirmation of human-alpha-
lactalbumin protein

 Transgenic cows are genetically modified (GM) cows. They have an extra gene or genes inserted into their DNA.
Those genes are known as transgenes. The extra gene may come from the same species or from a different species.

 The transgene (gene coding for human-α-lactalbumin) was introduced inside every cell in Rosie, the transgenic cow.
But it was only expressed in mammary tissue. This means that the transgene’s protein will only be found in the cow’s
milk and can only be extracted from there.

 In the year 1997, the first transgenic cow named Rosie was developed. The transgenic cow Rosie produced a protein
called human alpha-lactalbumin.

 The gene coding for human-α-lactalbumin was isolated from a human and it was inserted in the cells of cow by using
gene transfer techniques such as vector method.

 In addition to vector method, direct microinjection of nuclear material into invitro fertilized (IVF) embryos, and
genetically modified embryonic stem cell transfer was found to be more effective for transgenic animal production.

 Then, the human-α-lactalbumin gene was cloned in the cells and the protein was extracted easily as α-lactalbumin
was an extracellular protein. Later it was produced in huge quantity in Rosie, the transgenic cow .

 The milk of transgenic cow contained about 2.4 grams of human protein per litre of milk.

 This protein from a transgenic cow (Rosie) was found to be more nutritionally balanced for human babies than that
of natural cow milk.

 α-lactalbumin is an important whey protein in cow 's milk (~1 g/l), and is also present in the milk of many other
mammalian species.

 Such transgenic product is more nutritionally balanced than natural bovine milk.

 It can be given to children or the elderly who have special nutritional or digestive requirements.