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Pfotenhauer AC, Lenaghan SC. Phytosensors: harnessing plants to understand the world around us. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2024; 87:103134. [PMID: 38705091 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Although plants are sessile, their ubiquitous distribution, ability to harness energy from the sun, and ability to sense above and belowground signals make them ideal candidates for biosensor development. Synthetic biology has allowed scientists to reimagine biosensors as engineered devices that are focused on accomplishing novel tasks. As such, a new wave of plant-based sensors, phytosensors, are being engineered as multi-component sense-and-report devices that can alert human operators to a variety of hazards. While phytosensors are intrinsically tied to agriculture, a new generation of phytosensors has been envisioned to function in the built environment and even in austere environments, such as space. In this review, we will explore the current state of the art with regard to phytosensor engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Scott C Lenaghan
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA; Department of Food Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA.
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Sindarovska Y, Kuchuk M. Construction of viral-based expression vectors for high-level production of human interferon alpha 2b in plants. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:229. [PMID: 38393430 PMCID: PMC10891288 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-024-13069-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Human interferon (hINF) alpha 2b is clinically important pharmaceutical product included in combinatory therapy against chronic hepatitis C and B and complex therapy against several cancer diseases. Here, we created the genetic constructions, based on genome elements of potato virus X (PVX), carrying the infα2b gene for transient expression in plant cells. The created plasmid vector constructions were tested through Agrobacterium-mediated transient gene expression method in two plant species-Nicotiana benthamiana and Ocimum basilicum (sweet basil). Production of recombinant hINF alpha 2b was more efficient in N. benthamiana than that in O. basilicum plants. The average yield of hINF alpha 2b produced in N. benthamiana plants was 0.56 mg/g of fresh leaf weight (FW) or 6% of the total soluble cell proteins (TSP). The maximal level reached up to 1.2 mg/g FW or 9% TSP. We estimated that about 0.67 mg of hINF can be obtained from one N. benthamiana plant. The yield of hINF alpha 2b obtained with the PVX-based expression cassette was about 80 times higher than the yield of hINF alpha 2b obtained with a simple expression cassette in which the infα2b gene was controlled by the 35S promoter of cauliflower mosaic virus. KEY POINTS: • PVX-based expression vectors provide efficient transient expression of infα2b gene • N. benthamiana plants can produce human interferon alpha 2b at high levels • The yield of the hINF α2b reached up to 1.2 mg/g of fresh leaf weight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yana Sindarovska
- Department of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Cell Biology and Genetic Engineering of NAS of Ukraine, Akad. Zabolotnogo Str., 148, Kyiv, 03148, Ukraine.
| | - Mykola Kuchuk
- Department of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Cell Biology and Genetic Engineering of NAS of Ukraine, Akad. Zabolotnogo Str., 148, Kyiv, 03148, Ukraine
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Shao J, Peng B, Zhang Y, Yan X, Yao X, Hu X, Li L, Fu X, Zheng H, Tang K. A high-efficient protoplast transient system for screening gene editing elements in Salvia miltiorrhiza. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2024; 43:45. [PMID: 38261110 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-023-03134-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
KEY MESSAGE A high-efficiency protoplast transient system was devised to screen genome editing elements in Salvia miltiorrhiza. Medicinal plants with high-value pharmaceutical ingredients have attracted research attention due to their beneficial effects on human health. Cell wall-free protoplasts of plants can be used to evaluate the efficiency of genome editing mutagenesis. The capabilities of gene editing in medicinal plants remain to be fully explored owing to their complex genetic background and shortfall of suitable transformation. Here, we took the Salvia miltiorrhiza as a representative example for developing a method to screen favorable gene editing elements with high editing efficiency in medical plants by a PEG-mediated protoplast transformation. Results indicated that using the endogenous SmU6.1 of S. miltiorrhiza to drive sgRNA and the plant codon-optimized Cas9 driven by the promoter SlEF1α can enhance the efficiency of editing. In summary, we uncover an efficacious transient method for screening editing elements and shed new light on increasing gene editing efficiency in medicinal plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Shao
- Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, Plant Biotechnology Research Center, Fudan-SJTU-Nottingham Plant Biotechnology R&D Center, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Bowen Peng
- Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, Plant Biotechnology Research Center, Fudan-SJTU-Nottingham Plant Biotechnology R&D Center, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Yaojie Zhang
- Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, Plant Biotechnology Research Center, Fudan-SJTU-Nottingham Plant Biotechnology R&D Center, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Xin Yan
- Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, Plant Biotechnology Research Center, Fudan-SJTU-Nottingham Plant Biotechnology R&D Center, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Xinghao Yao
- Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, Plant Biotechnology Research Center, Fudan-SJTU-Nottingham Plant Biotechnology R&D Center, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Xinyi Hu
- Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, Plant Biotechnology Research Center, Fudan-SJTU-Nottingham Plant Biotechnology R&D Center, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Ling Li
- Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, Plant Biotechnology Research Center, Fudan-SJTU-Nottingham Plant Biotechnology R&D Center, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Xueqing Fu
- Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, Plant Biotechnology Research Center, Fudan-SJTU-Nottingham Plant Biotechnology R&D Center, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Han Zheng
- Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, Plant Biotechnology Research Center, Fudan-SJTU-Nottingham Plant Biotechnology R&D Center, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
- State Key Laboratory of Dao-Di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Kexuan Tang
- Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, Plant Biotechnology Research Center, Fudan-SJTU-Nottingham Plant Biotechnology R&D Center, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
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Pfotenhauer AC, Reuter DN, Clark M, Harbison SA, Schimel TM, Stewart CN, Lenaghan SC. Development of new binary expression systems for plant synthetic biology. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2023; 43:22. [PMID: 38150091 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-023-03100-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
KEY MESSAGE A novel plant binary expression system was developed from the compactin biosynthetic pathway 27 of Penicillium citrinum ML-236B. The system achieved >fivefold activation of gene expression in 28 transgenic tobacco. A diverse and well-characterized genetic toolset is fundamental to achieve the overall goals of plant synthetic biology. To properly coordinate expression of a multigene pathway, this toolset should include binary systems that control gene expression at the level of transcription. In plants, few highly functional, orthogonal transcriptional regulators have been identified. Here, we describe the process of developing synthetic plant transcription factors using regulatory elements from the Penicillium citrinum ML-236B (compactin) pathway. This pathway contains several genes including mlcA and mlcC that are transcriptionally regulated in a dose-dependent manner by the activator mlcR. In Nicotiana benthamiana, we first expressed mlcR with several cognate synthetic promoters driving expression of GFP. Synthetic promoters contained operator sequences from the compactin gene cluster. Following identification of the most active synthetic promoter, the DNA-binding domain from mlcR was used to generate chimeric transcription factors containing variable activation domains, including QF from the Neurospora crassa Q-system. Activity was measured at both protein and RNA levels which correlated with an R2 value of 0.94. A synthetic transcription factor with a QF activation domain increased gene expression from its synthetic promoter up to sixfold in N. benthamiana. Two systems were characterized in transgenic tobacco plants. The QF-based plants maintained high expression in tobacco, increasing expression from the cognate synthetic promoter by fivefold. Transgenic plants and non-transgenic plants were morphologically indistinguishable. The framework of this study can easily be adopted for other putative transcription factors to continue improvement of the plant synthetic biology toolbox.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander C Pfotenhauer
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - D Nikki Reuter
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Mikayla Clark
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Stacee A Harbison
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Tayler M Schimel
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - C Neal Stewart
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
- Department of Plant Sciences, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Scott C Lenaghan
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA.
- Department of Food Science, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA.
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Wang Y, Demirer GS. Synthetic biology for plant genetic engineering and molecular farming. Trends Biotechnol 2023; 41:1182-1198. [PMID: 37012119 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2023.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Many efforts have been put into engineering plants to improve crop yields and stress tolerance and boost the bioproduction of valuable molecules. Yet, our capabilities are still limited due to the lack of well-characterized genetic building blocks and resources for precise manipulation and given the inherently challenging properties of plant tissues. Advancements in plant synthetic biology can overcome these bottlenecks and release the full potential of engineered plants. In this review, we first discuss the recently developed plant synthetic elements from single parts to advanced circuits, software, and hardware tools expediting the engineering cycle. Next, we survey the advancements in plant biotechnology enabled by these recent resources. We conclude the review with outstanding challenges and future directions of plant synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunqing Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Gozde S Demirer
- Department of Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
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Yang Y, Shao Y, Chaffin TA, Lee JH, Poindexter MR, Ahkami AH, Blumwald E, Stewart CN. Performance of abiotic stress-inducible synthetic promoters in genetically engineered hybrid poplar ( Populus tremula × Populus alba). FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1011939. [PMID: 36330242 PMCID: PMC9623294 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1011939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Abiotic stresses can cause significant damage to plants. For sustainable bioenergy crop production, it is critical to generate resistant crops to such stress. Engineering promoters to control the precise expression of stress resistance genes is a very effective way to address the problem. Here we developed stably transformed Populus tremula × Populus alba hybrid poplar (INRA 717-1B4) containing one-of-six synthetic drought stress-inducible promoters (SDs; SD9-1, SD9-2, SD9-3, SD13-1, SD18-1, and SD18-3) identified previously by transient transformation assays. We screened green fluorescent protein (GFP) induction in poplar under osmotic stress conditions. Of six transgenic lines containing synthetic promoter, three lines (SD18-1, 9-2, and 9-3) had significant GFP expression in both salt and osmotic stress treatments. Each synthetic promoter employed heptamerized repeats of specific and short cis-regulatory elements (7 repeats of 7-8 bases). To verify whether the repeats of longer sequences can improve osmotic stress responsiveness, a transgenic poplar containing the synthetic promoter of the heptamerized entire SD9 motif (20 bases, containing all partial SD9 motifs) was generated and measured for GFP induction under osmotic stress. The heptamerized entire SD9 motif did not result in higher GFP expression than the shorter promoters consisting of heptamerized SD9-1, 9-2, and 9-3 (partial SD9) motifs. This result indicates that shorter synthetic promoters (~50 bp) can be used for versatile control of gene expression in transgenic poplar. These synthetic promoters will be useful tools to engineer stress-resilient bioenergy tree crops in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongil Yang
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Yuanhua Shao
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Timothy A. Chaffin
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Jun Hyung Lee
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
| | - Magen R. Poindexter
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Amir H. Ahkami
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA, United States
| | - Eduardo Blumwald
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - C. Neal Stewart
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
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