Why might cultured plant cells be more useful than animal cells as host cells, even for animal transgenes?
A) Plant cells are eukaryotic.
B) Plant cells contain plasmids.
C) Plants are multicellular.
D) The processes of transcription, translation, and posttranslational modification proceed differently in plants and animals.
E) It is easier to make unspecialized totipotent cells from plant cells than from animal cells.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Plant cells have a unique ability to dedifferentiate into totipotent cells more easily than animal cells, allowing them to regenerate into whole plants. This characteristic makes them particularly useful for genetic engineering purposes, including hosting animal transgenes, because it facilitates the production of genetically modified organisms from single, transformed cells.

Why Might Cultured Plant Cells Be More Useful Than Animal