Transgenic animals can make useful human proteins. NCERT gives alpha-1-antitrypsin for emphysema as a protein product example. In 1997 the first transgenic cow Rosie produced milk enriched with human alpha-lactalbumin. The chapter gives its concentration as 2.4 grams per litre and describes the milk as more nutritionally balanced for babies than natural cow milk in this comparison.

Alpha-lactalbumin in Rosie’s milk and alpha-1-antitrypsin as a therapeutic example are different proteins. Do not interchange their functions because both names begin with alpha. A transgenic animal making a protein is not evidence that every biological product bypasses purification or safety evaluation. In a numerical item, use the stated concentration to calculate a proportional mass, while recognising that the figure is an NCERT illustration rather than a general yield for all cows.

Worked example: At 2.4 g/L, a 2 L illustrative sample of Rosie’s milk contains 4.8 g human alpha-lactalbumin.

NCERT trap: Rosie’s milk protein is human alpha-lactalbumin, not alpha-1-antitrypsin used for emphysema.

NEET method: First name the protein, then use the given concentration and volume if a calculation follows.

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Biotechnology and Its Applications

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