Abstract: The present invention relates to a synthetic plant-optimized nucleic acid molecule having a Norwalk virus capsid protein coding nucleotide sequence, and nucleic acid constructs, host cells, expression systems, and plants having the plant-optimized Norwalk virus nucleic acid molecule. The present invention also relates to a method of producing Norwalk virus capsid protein virus-like particles in a transgenic plant or transgenic plant seed transformed with a plant-optimized nucleic acid molecule encoding Norwalk virus capsid protein. The plant or a component thereof can be administered to a subject under conditions effective to immunize the subject against disease resulting from infection by a Norovirus, including Norwalk virus. An oral vaccine for immunization of a subject against Norwalk virus infection is also disclosed.

Abstract: The inventions is drawn towards vectors and methods useful for preparing genetically transformed plant cells that express immunogens from pathogenic organisms which are used to produce immunoprotective particles useful in vaccine preparations. The invention includes plant optimized genes that encode the HN protein of Newcastle Disease Virus. The invention also relates to methods of producing an antigen in a transgenic plant.

Abstract: The present invention provides for processing methods that preserve pharmaceutical proteins expressed in plants. Herein raw plant tissue is reduced to a stable homogenate without significant loss of protein or pharmaceutical potency. The homogenate can be used directly for pharmaceutical purposes without the need to further extract, purify, or precipitate the pharmaceutical protein. The present invention further provides a method of effective immunocontraception for animal and human application. Methods are disclosed for producing transgenic plants or plant cells which express contraceptive proteins, and which can be delivered whole, in part, or after processing, to an animal to cause a contraceptive effect in the target species.