Synthetic biology and opportunities within agricultural crops

Abstract

Conventional breeding techniques have been integral to the development of many agronomically important traits in numerous crops. The adoption of modern biotechnology approaches further advanced and refined trait development and introduction beyond the scope possible through conventional breeding. However, crop yields continue to be challenged by abiotic and biotic factors that require the development of traits that are more genetically complex than can be addressed through conventional breeding or traditional genetic engineering. Therefore, more advanced trait development approaches are required to maintain and improve yields and production efficiency, especially as climate change accelerates the incidence of biotic and abiotic challenges to food and fibre crops. Synthetic biology (SynBio) encompasses approaches that design and construct new biological elements (e.g., enzymes, genetic circuits, cells) or redesign existing biological systems to build new and improved functions. SynBio 'upgrades' the potential of genetic engineering, which involves the transfer of single genes from one organism to another. This technology can enable the introduction of multiple genes in a single transgenic event, either derived from a foreign organism or synthetically generated. It can also enable the assembly of novel genomes from the ground up from a set of standardised genetic parts, which can then be transferred into the target cell or organism. New opportunities to advance breeding applications through exploiting SynBio technology include the introduction of new genes of known function, artificially creating genetic variation, topical applications of small RNAs as pesticides and potentially speeding up the production of new cultivars with elite traits. This review will draw upon case studies to demonstrate the potential application of SynBio to improve crop productivity and resistance to various challenges. Here, we outline specific solutions to challenges including fungal diseases, insect pests, heat and drought stress and nutrient acquisition in a range of important crops using the SynBio toolkit.

The importance of species‐specific and temperature‐sensitive parameterisation of A/Ci models: A case study using cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) and the automated ‘OptiFitACi’ R‐package

“…Photosynthesis is an active and impactful area of research, particularly with growing demands to understand and overcome the effects of climate change on plant physiology and productivity. Enhancing photosynthesis is a key target for improving C 3 crop productivity (Amthor, 2007; Galmés, Conesa, et al, 2014; Long et al, 2006; Sharwood, Ghannoum, & Whitney, 2016; Wu et al, 2023; Zhu et al, 2010) including cotton (Conaty & Constable, 2020; Sargent et al, 2022). As critical components for cross‐scale modelling, accurate estimation of biochemical and leaf‐level photosynthetic parameters is crucial (Wu et al, 2019).…”

Cotton Breeding in Australia: Meeting the Challenges of the 21st Century

“…However, mesophyll conductance is a difficult to measure, complex trait controlled by many genes and environmental factors (Evans, 2021;Lei et al, 2021). Due to the incompatibility between cotton cultivars and many distantly related Gossypium species, photosynthetic trait transfer is likely to rely on synthetic biology approaches, of which are being investigated (Sargent et al, 2022).…”

Cytokinin biosynthesis in cyanobacteria: Insights for crop improvement

“…Hereafter, the present article explains the overview of the genetic manipulation strategies for refinement of the plant's responses to various abiotic stressors, such as DNA methylation, post-transcriptional modification of mRNA, posttranslational modifications, tagging RNA molecules, micro-RNAs, epigenetic modification, and CRISPR-Cas9 editing (Mandal et al, 2022). Furthermore, the synthetic biology technologies and approaches will expand the capabilities and perspectives of genetic engineering initiatives aimed at improving the abiotic stress tolerance in plants (Sargent et al, 2022).…”