Constructs and methods are provided for expressing peptides derived from
eukaryotic organisms in plant plastids. Constructs have a promoter
functional in a plant plastid, a DNA sequence encoding a peptide derived
from an eukaryotic organism and a transcription termination region. Other
elements include a selectable marker for selection of plant cells
comprising a plastid expressing the marker and DNA regions of homology to
the genome of the plastid and optionally a ribosome binding site joined to
the promoter. By methods using such constructs high levels of eukaryotic
peptides, such as mammalian proteins, are produced in a plant cell by
growing plant cells under conditions whereby the DNA encoding sequences
are expressed to produce eukaryotic peptide in said plastid.
