CRISPR-Cas, the game-changing gene-editing tool, is spearheading a scientific revolution across diverse fields from medicine to sustainable technologies. Since its arrival on the biotech scene, this remarkable tool has garnered significant attention because of its unparalleled precision, simplicity, and universality.
There’s a wealth of great resources focusing on the fascinating science behind CRISPR and on the technology’s immense potential in the coming decades. But in these posts, we’re taking a step back and highlighting the impressive accomplishments and remarkable breakthroughs that have already happened thanks to CRISPR.
Here are three ways CRISPR is helping in the cultivation of crops that can meet escalating food demands and adapt to changing climates while maintaining delicious taste and nutritional excellence. Ambitious? Yes. Complex? Yes. Important? Yes.
Trailblazing Tomatoes
The first CRISPR-edited crop to be available to consumers is a stress-busting tomato. The Sicilian Rouge High GABA tomato was developed by Sanatech Seed Co., Ltd. and has been available in Japan since 2021. GABA, or Gamma-aminobutyric acid, is a naturally occurring amino acid and neurotransmitter that’s been linked to better sleep, lower blood pressure, reduced inflammation, enhanced cognitive function, and general calmness. While activities like exercise, meditation, and yoga can boost the body’s GABA production, few foods contain this compound aside from certain teas and fermented foods like kimchi. Although GABA supplements have long been popular, consumers can now elevate their GABA levels by simply enjoying SRHG tomatoes. Similarly, a CRISPR tomato engineered to produce pro-vitamin D offers hope for the billion people worldwide facing vitamin D insufficiency. The research on this tomato variety was published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature in 2022, but it is still in the process of becoming commercially available. Meanwhile, breakthroughs in genetic research have identified the DNA sequences responsible for the rich flavor of garden tomatoes. With CRISPR tools, scientists aim to restore the taste of bland supermarket tomatoes into something more palatable!
Compact Corn
In agriculture, being short can be a boon. Dr. Norman Borlaug, a Nobel laureate in agronomy, kickstarted a revolution with his development of semi-dwarf, high-yield, disease-resistant wheat varieties. The success of these varieties, particularly in challenging environments, helped to improve food security around the world. Today, short-statured varieties are widespread, not only in wheat but also in rice, sorghum, and other cereal crops. However, adapting this concept to corn, the world’s second most cultivated crop, has posed challenges. Shorter corn tends to struggle with making tassels. Nevertheless, with the help of CRISPR, a viable short-statured corn hybrid has been successfully engineered. This novel corn variety grows 30-40% shorter than conventional strains. Its reduced height makes it less prone to wind damage, enhances its drought resilience, and extends the crop’s growing season. Plus farmers can plant it closer together and more easily monitor it for diseases. On top of this, it can be managed solely with ground equipment, eliminating the need for aerial care methods, which simplifies farming practices and benefits the environment. For a longer read on short corn cheeks out this website.
Resilient Rice
Rice has historically played a crucial role in ensuring food security. Nonetheless, it faces numerous threats including a high sensitivity to drought, heat waves, heavy metal contamination, bacterial blights, and rice blast. These challenges are on the rise. Luckily for over a decade, scientists have also been leveraging the power of CRISPR to develop disease and climate-resilient rice strains. For example, scientist Dr. Guotian Li has been developing a strain of Oryza sativa (the grass that rice comes from) that is both high-yield and resistant to the fungus that causes rice blast. Explore the journey of discovery and development behind this strain, and delve into the challenge of balancing disease resistance with broad-scale productivity. Then, discover how recent CRISPR-Cas-based gene editing systems are enhancing rice’s resilience to various abiotic stresses in “CRISPR-Cas System, a Possible Savior of Rice Threatened by Climate Change: An Updated Review.”
Establishing an accessible, affordable, and ethical framework that addresses the needs of various stakeholders is crucial to fully harnessing the potential of CRISPR in agriculture. As exemplified by the cases mentioned above, the development of successful CRISPR crops demands not only scientific expertise but also entrepreneurial insight and a commitment to social responsibility. Achieving these objectives entails leveraging cutting-edge biotechnologies and drawing insights from past experiences. Dr. Melinda Kliegman emphasized the opportunity to learn from previous agricultural revolutions, stating “I think we have an opportunity to do it over and do it better this time. I think part of this is building trust with the communities who are end users of the product, as a farmer or as a consumer, and developing products that bring value.” Such work requires creating a system that involves and includes all stakeholders (including growers and consumers) as soon as possible.
Intrigued by CRISPR and curious to see it in action? With our CRISPR experiment kit, you can experience firsthand how this revolutionary technology works. Perfect for classrooms and hands-on learners, our kit includes all the essential reagents and materials to explore the cutting edge of genetic science in a guided, educational setting. Ready to dive in? Learn more here!
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