Re GTCB, synthetic proteins
>> The only other fly I see in the potential use of transgenic protiens [and I profess no knowledge in this department] is that at some time in the future they would be able to construct equivalent complex proteins artifically. But given why they are trying to produce them transgenically I see that that threat is as least 5 years out if not more. <<
To add to Dew's comments. You can make proteins (up to a certain length anyway) "artficially", as in chemically, by stringing the appropriate amino acids together. However, one of the tricky bits about making proteins is to make sure they "fold" properly so that they have the correct three dimensional shape when they are fully formed.
Having the correct sequence of amino acids does you no good if the protein is just a pile of gunk that is not in the correct shape to function properly. (e.g., when you fry an egg, you "denature" the proteins, making them lose their original shape and change the egg white from clear to white.)
Proteins produced in goats milk are very likely to be functional, as it is a system already designed to produce functional proteins in high concentration.
In addition, many proteins are "glycosylated", meaning they have sugar molecules attached at specific sites on the protein. This typically affects the proteins stability, function, and in vivo half life. It is hard to artificially glycosylate a protein correctly after the fact. Different methods of manufacturing proteins (e.g., from yeast cells, CHO cells, insect cells, etc.) result in different glycosylation patterns, which can affect how the protein acts in people. Goats may not produce a glycosylation pattern that is identical to that found in the proteins produced in people, but it is likely to be a much closer match than the more traditional methods of manufacturing proteins currently in use.
Disclaimer: I've owned a small amount of GTCB for years, as I like the story, but I haven't made any money on them yet.
