Mini-Synplastome Hybrid Vectors for Production of Marker-Free Transplastomic Plants
The Problem
The introduction of genetically modified plants into the environment represents a biosafety risk of gene transfer to other organisms. One of the major environmental risk is associated to the presence of selectable marker genes that confer resistance to toxic molecules (antibiotics and herbicides) widely used to produce transgenic crops. To mitigate this potential problem in agriculture, research efforts must be spent in designing novel genetic engineering systems to remove selectable marker genes from the genome of transgenic plants.
The Solution
Researchers at the University of Tennessee have developed a novel genetic engineering tool to produce Solanum tuberosum (potato) transgenic plants for the plastid genome (transplastomic) with full removal of the selectable marker gene (marker-free). These mini-synplastome hybrid vectors for marker-free eliminate the ecological risk associated to potential release of selectable marker genes in the environment, producing transgenic plants with improved bioconfinement and biosafety for application in agriculture.
Benefits
| Benefit |
|---|
| Full removal of the selectable marker gene |
| Genetic stability over time |
| Improved biosafety in agricultural release |
More Information
- Tyler Newton, M.S.
- Assistant Technology Manager, Multi Campus Office
- 865-974-1882 | cnewto12@tennessee.edu
- UTRF Reference ID: 23129
- Patent Status: Patent Pending
Innovators
Dr. Neal Stewart
Professor in the Department of Plant Sciences, UTK-UTIA
Dr. Stewart holds the Ivan Racheff Chair of Excellence in Plant Molecular Genetics. After completing a Doctorate of Biology in Plant Physiology at Virginia Tech, Stewart joined Professor Wayne Parrott’s laboratory at the University of Georgia as a postdoctoral researcher from 1993–1995. He then moved to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where Stewart was an assistant and then associate professor in the Department of Biology from 1995–2002. In 2002, Stewart assumed the Racheff Chair with an appointment as professor. Dr. Stewart serves as co-director of the Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, which he co-founded in 2018. The Stewart Lab’s research spans plant biotechnology, synthetic biology, genomics, and ecology. Stewart has authored or co-authored over 310 journal articles, many book chapters, and nine books. He is co-editor in chief for Plant Cell Reports and is an associate editor for the Plant Biotechnology Journal. Stewart was elected as an American Association for the Advancement of Science fellow in 2015, a Society for In Vitro Biology fellow in 2019, and from 2014–2016, served on the National Academies committee responsible for publishing “Genetically Engineered Crops: Experiences and Prospects” in 2016. Stewart’s research has been supported by various granting agencies including the DARPA, DOE, NSF, USDA, and industry sources. Of the approximately $40 million awarded over the past 25 years in grants and contracts, 5% has had industry ties. Stewart teaches courses in biotechnology and research ethics. He has mentored over 100 graduate and postdoctoral students and technical staff, most of whom are still in science. Stewart has given scientific and lay presentations around the US and in 16 countries.
Read more about Dr. Neal Stewart