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Das S, Kwon M, Kim JY. Enhancement of specialized metabolites using CRISPR/Cas gene editing technology in medicinal plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1279738. [PMID: 38450402 PMCID: PMC10915232 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1279738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Plants are the richest source of specialized metabolites. The specialized metabolites offer a variety of physiological benefits and many adaptive evolutionary advantages and frequently linked to plant defense mechanisms. Medicinal plants are a vital source of nutrition and active pharmaceutical agents. The production of valuable specialized metabolites and bioactive compounds has increased with the improvement of transgenic techniques like gene silencing and gene overexpression. These techniques are beneficial for decreasing production costs and increasing nutritional value. Utilizing biotechnological applications to enhance specialized metabolites in medicinal plants needs characterization and identification of genes within an elucidated pathway. The breakthrough and advancement of CRISPR/Cas-based gene editing in improving the production of specific metabolites in medicinal plants have gained significant importance in contemporary times. This article imparts a comprehensive recapitulation of the latest advancements made in the implementation of CRISPR-gene editing techniques for the purpose of augmenting specific metabolites in medicinal plants. We also provide further insights and perspectives for improving metabolic engineering scenarios in medicinal plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swati Das
- Division of Applied Life Science (BK21 Four Program), Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Research Center (PMBBRC), Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea
| | - Moonhyuk Kwon
- Division of Life Science, Anti-aging Bio Cell Factory Regional Leading Research Center (ABC-RLRC), Research Institute of Molecular Alchemy (RIMA), Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Yean Kim
- Division of Applied Life Science (BK21 Four Program), Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Research Center (PMBBRC), Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea
- Nulla Bio R&D Center, Nulla Bio Inc., Jinju, Republic of Korea
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Sirangelo TM. NLR- and mlo-Based Resistance Mechanisms against Powdery Mildew in Cannabis sativa. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:105. [PMID: 38202413 PMCID: PMC10780410 DOI: 10.3390/plants13010105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Powdery mildew (PM) is one of the most common Cannabis sativa diseases. In spite of this, very few documented studies have characterized the resistance genes involved in PM defense mechanisms, or sources of natural genetic resistance in cannabis. The focus of the present work is on the two primary mechanisms for qualitative resistance against PM. The first is based on resistance (R) genes characterized by conserved nucleotide-binding site and/or leucine-rich repeat domains (NLRs). The second one involves susceptibility (S) genes, and particularly mildew resistance locus o (MLO) genes, whose loss-of-function mutations seem to be a reliable way to protect plants from PM infection. Cannabis defenses against PM are thus discussed, mainly detailing the strategies based on these two mechanisms. Emerging studies about this research topic are also reported and, based on the most significant results, a potential PM resistance model in cannabis plant-pathogen interactions is proposed. Finally, innovative approaches, based on the pyramiding of multiple R genes, as well as on genetic engineering and genome editing methods knocking out S genes, are discussed, to obtain durable PM-resistant cannabis cultivars with a broad-spectrum resistance range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiziana M Sirangelo
- ENEA-Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development-Division Biotechnologies and Agroindustry, 00123 Rome, Italy
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Sirangelo TM, Ludlow RA, Spadafora ND. Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Potential Pathogen Resistance in Cannabis sativa. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:2764. [PMID: 37570918 PMCID: PMC10420965 DOI: 10.3390/plants12152764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) is one of the earliest cultivated crops, valued for producing a broad spectrum of compounds used in medicinal products and being a source of food and fibre. Despite the availability of its genome sequences, few studies explore the molecular mechanisms involved in pathogen defense, and the underlying biological pathways are poorly defined in places. Here, we provide an overview of Cannabis defence responses against common pathogens, such as Golovinomyces spp., Fusarium spp., Botrytis cinerea and Pythium spp. For each of these pathogens, after a summary of their characteristics and symptoms, we explore studies identifying genes involved in Cannabis resistance mechanisms. Many studies focus on the potential involvement of disease-resistance genes, while others refer to other plants however whose results may be of use for Cannabis research. Omics investigations allowing the identification of candidate defence genes are highlighted, and genome editing approaches to generate resistant Cannabis species based on CRISPR/Cas9 technology are discussed. According to the emerging results, a potential defence model including both immune and defence mechanisms in Cannabis plant-pathogen interactions is finally proposed. To our knowledge, this is the first review of the molecular mechanisms underlying pathogen resistance in Cannabis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiziana M. Sirangelo
- ENEA-Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development-Division Biotechnologies and Agroindustry, 00123 Rome, Italy
| | - Richard A. Ludlow
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK;
| | - Natasha D. Spadafora
- Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
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Ingvardsen CR, Brinch-Pedersen H. Challenges and potentials of new breeding techniques in Cannabis sativa. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1154332. [PMID: 37360738 PMCID: PMC10285108 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1154332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Cannabis sativa L. is an ancient crop used for fiber and seed production and not least for its content of cannabinoids used for medicine and as an intoxicant drug. Due to the psychedelic effect of one of the compounds, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), many countries had regulations or bands on Cannabis growing, also as fiber or seed crop. Recently, as many of these regulations are getting less tight, the interest for the many uses of this crop is increasing. Cannabis is dioecious and highly heterogenic, making traditional breeding costly and time consuming. Further, it might be difficult to introduce new traits without changing the cannabinoid profile. Genome editing using new breeding techniques might solve these problems. The successful use of genome editing requires sequence information on suitable target genes, a genome editing tool to be introduced into plant tissue and the ability to regenerate plants from transformed cells. This review summarizes the current status of Cannabis breeding, uncovers potentials and challenges of Cannabis in an era of new breeding techniques and finally suggests future focus areas that may help to improve our overall understanding of Cannabis and realize the potentials of the plant.
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Šenkyřík JB, Křivánková T, Kaczorová D, Štefelová N. Investigation of the Effect of the Auxin Antagonist PEO-IAA on Cannabinoid Gene Expression and Content in Cannabis sativa L. Plants under In Vitro Conditions. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:1664. [PMID: 37111886 PMCID: PMC10142887 DOI: 10.3390/plants12081664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The in vitro shoot propagation of Cannabis sativa L. is an emerging research area for large-scale plant material production. However, how in vitro conditions influence the genetic stability of maintained material, as well as whether changes in the concentration and composition of secondary metabolites can be expected are aspects that need to be better understood. These features are essential for the standardised production of medicinal cannabis. This work aimed to find out whether the presence of the auxin antagonist α-(2-oxo-2-phenylethyl)-1H-indole-3-acetic acid (PEO-IAA) in the culture media influenced the relative gene expression (RGE) of the genes of interest (OAC, CBCA, CBDA, THCA) and the concentrations of studied cannabinoids (CBCA, CBDA, CBC, ∆9-THCA, and ∆9-THC). Two C. sativa cultivars, 'USO-31' and 'Tatanka Pure CBD', were cultivated by in vitro conditions with PEO-IAA presence and then analysed. The RT-qPCR results indicated that even though some changes in the RGE profiles could be observed, no differences were statistically significant compared with the control variant. The results of the phytochemical analyses demonstrate that although there were some differences from the control variant, only the cultivar 'Tatanka Pure CBD' showed a statistically significant increase (at a statistical significance level α = 0.05) in the concentration of the cannabinoid CBDA. In conclusion, it would appear that using PEO-IAA in the culture medium is a suitable approach to improve in vitro cannabis multiplication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josef Baltazar Šenkyřík
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, 78371 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Tereza Křivánková
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, 78371 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Dominika Kaczorová
- Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Palacký University Olomouc, 78371 Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Department of Genetic Resources for Vegetables, Medicinal and Special Plants, Crop Research Institute, 78371 Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, 78371 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Nikola Štefelová
- Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Palacký University Olomouc, 78371 Olomouc, Czech Republic
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Hesami M, Pepe M, Baiton A, Salami SA, Jones AMP. New Insight into Ornamental Applications of Cannabis: Perspectives and Challenges. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:plants11182383. [PMID: 36145783 PMCID: PMC9505140 DOI: 10.3390/plants11182383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The characteristic growth habit, abundant green foliage, and aromatic inflorescences of cannabis provide the plant with an ideal profile as an ornamental plant. However, due to legal barriers, the horticulture industry has yet to consider the ornamental relevance of cannabis. To evaluate its suitability for introduction as a new ornamental species, multifaceted commercial criteria were analyzed. Results indicate that ornamental cannabis would be of high value as a potted-plant or in landscaping. However, the readiness timescale for ornamental cannabis completely depends on its legal status. Then, the potential of cannabis chemotype Ⅴ, which is nearly devoid of phytocannabinoids and psychoactive properties, as the foundation for breeding ornamental traits through mutagenesis, somaclonal variation, and genome editing approaches has been highlighted. Ultimately, legalization and breeding for ornamental utility offers boundless opportunities related to economics and executive business branding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohsen Hesami
- Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Marco Pepe
- Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Austin Baiton
- Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Seyed Alireza Salami
- Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Science and Engineering, University of Tehran, Karaj 31587-77871, Iran
- Industrial and Medical Cannabis Research Institute (IMCRI), Tehran 14176-14411, Iran
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Deguchi M, Dhir S, Potlakayala S, Dhir S, Curtis WR, Rudrabhatla S. In planta Female Flower Agroinfiltration Alters the Cannabinoid Composition in Industrial Hemp ( Cannabis sativa L.). FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:921970. [PMID: 35941940 PMCID: PMC9356322 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.921970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Industrial hemp is a diploid (2n = 20), dioecious plant, and an essential source of various phytochemical productions. More than 540 phytochemicals have been described, some of which proved helpful in the remedial treatment of human diseases. Therefore, further study of hemp phytochemicals in medicine is highly anticipated. Previously, we developed the vacuum agroinfiltration method, which allows the transient gene expression in hemp tissues including female flowers, where cannabinoids are produced and accumulated. In this study, we attempted to alter the composition of total CBD and THC. The RT-PCR and sanger sequence identified eleven copies of the CBDAS gene, two copies of the THCAS gene, and one CBCAS gene. Binary vectors were constructed to overexpress the CBDAS gene and silence the THCAS gene via RNA interference. The Transcript level of the CBDAS gene was increased by more than 10 times than the plants used as a control, which led to a 54% higher total CBD content. The silencing of the THCAS gene led to downregulation of the THCAS gene, with an 80% reduction in transcript levels, and total THC content was reduced to 43% compared with mock plant. These results suggest that hemp vacuum infiltration is highly effective for metabolic engineering of cannabinoids in hemp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michihito Deguchi
- The Central Pennsylvania Research and Teaching Laboratory for Biofuels, Penn State Harrisburg, Middletown, PA, United States
| | - Seema Dhir
- Biology Department, Fort Valley State University, Fort Valley, GA, United States
| | - Shobha Potlakayala
- The Central Pennsylvania Research and Teaching Laboratory for Biofuels, Penn State Harrisburg, Middletown, PA, United States
| | - Sarwan Dhir
- Family Sciences and Technology, College of Agriculture, Fort Valley State University, Fort Valley, GA, United States
| | - Wayne R. Curtis
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Sairam Rudrabhatla
- The Central Pennsylvania Research and Teaching Laboratory for Biofuels, Penn State Harrisburg, Middletown, PA, United States
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