The emerging role of mass spectrometry-based proteomics in molecular pharming practices

Molecular pharming relies on the integration of foreign genes into a plant system for production of the desired recombinant protein. The speed, scalability, and lack of contaminating human pathogens highlights plants as an enticing and feasible system to produce diverse protein-based products, including vaccines, antibodies, and enzymes. However, limitations of expression levels, host defense responses, and production irregularities underscore distinct areas for improvement within the molecular pharming pipeline. Within the past five years, mass spectrometry-based proteomics has begun to address these critical areas and show promise in advancing our understanding of the complex biological systems driving molecular pharming. Further, opportunities to leverage comprehensive proteome profiling have surfaced to meet good manufacturing practice regulations and move biopharmaceuticals derived from plants into mainstream production.