Year: 2023
Type: editorial
Abstract: Advances in plastid biology and its applications, volume IIWhile much is known about plastid function, genomics, gene expression and DNA replication, many open questions remain.One active area of research has been the use of plastids for the expression of proteins of value, whether for therapeutic, research, or other purposes.The advantages of plastid transformation include the presence of multiple genome copies per plastid and multiple plastids per plant cell, which multiplies the overall gene copy numbersometimes reaching 10,000 per cell in mesophyll tissues.Site-specific integration of the transgene(s) at the chosen location through homologous recombination is the hallmark feature of chloroplast transformation.Being non-nuclear, the genome in many angiosperms, particularly field crops, does not spread with the pollen, providing a natural gene containment system for the transgenes.The introduction of transgenes into the chloroplast genome often results in a high level of expression, making it a viable expression platform for the cost-effective production of recombinant proteins.In addition, gene silencing does not occur in plastids.However, there are some limitations to traditional plastid transformation due to the need for specialized and expensive equipment for plant tissues or the need to isolate protoplasts for PEG-mediated transformation.Odahara et al. have developed a novel method that utilizes a fusion peptide as a carrier to deliver DNA into plastids.They coupled a polycationic DNA-binding peptide and a plastid-targeting peptide and successfully delivered recombinant DNA into plastids via nanoparticles and confirmed that the DNA was integrated into plastid DNA by homologous recombination.The integrated DNA was stably maintained and expressed after several generations.The authors have used this approach successfully in three plant species: tobacco, rice and kenaf.This new approach adds to the repertoire of methods for plastid transformation and has the advantage of being simple without the need for specialized equipment, and may be useful for plastid transformation of other plant species.Unlike the nuclear genome, the plastid genome is quite small and highly compact.Complete plastid genome sequences are known for many plants, algal and other photosynthetic organisms.The availability of complete genome sequences allows researchers to functionally characterize genes more effectively.Nearly all encoded genes have been identified as to function, but there remain a few hypothetical open reading Frontiers in Plant Science frontiersin.
Source: Frontiers in Plant Science
Authors: Brent L. Nielsen, Niaz Ahmad
Language: English
Subfield: Biotechnology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,295
Funder: Brigham Young University
OpenAlex ID: W4378901165