Team:Cardiff Wales/abstractpractice

Project Abstract

Grave’s Disease arises from the overproduction of the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). Such overproduction leads to increased thyroxine levels, consequently resulting in hyperthyroidism. Our project will involve the expression of the human thyroid stimulating hormone antagonist (TSHantag) using the Tobacco expression system. As of yet, there have been no examples using the tobacco system for expression of the TSHantag protein. Therefore, we will design and generate unique transcriptional units (TUs) for expression of TSHantag in tobacco. These TUs will be introduced into tobacco using agrobacterium-mediated transformation. We will optimise the amounts of heterologous protein that can be produced in this system before collaborating with researchers at University Hospital of Wales to test the efficacy of the TSHantag in an in vitro system.