Engineered Tomato Plants for Sustainable Terpenoid Biosynthesis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for petrochemical synthesis, extraction, and purification of terpenoids from native plant sources lack economic sustainability and efficiency, limiting the production of valuable terpenoids.
Innovation Solution
Modified tomato plants with decreased expression of endogenous terpene or terpenoid biosynthetic genes and introduction of heterologous terpene or terpenoid biosynthetic genes to produce high-value terpenoids, such as Nootkatone, Viridiflorol, and Astaxanthin, by engineering targeted modifications using CRISPR-Cas9 and guide RNA.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If terpenoids are extracted from native plant sources using conventional methods, then terpenoid products can be obtained, but the process lacks economic sustainability and has low efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses tomato plants as self-sufficient biosynthetic factories that convert renewable feedstock (CO2, water, sunlight) directly into terpenoid products through engineered metabolic pathways, eliminating the need for complex extraction and purification infrastructure while achieving sustainable, scalable production
Solution Approach 2:
The patent fundamentally changes the production parameter from extraction-based (processing plant material) to biosynthesis-based (engineering metabolic pathways), achieving both higher productivity and economic sustainability through genetic modification of terpenoid biosynthetic genes in tomato plants
2Productivity
If endogenous terpene or terpenoid biosynthetic genes are decreased in expression to create a chassis for heterologous gene expression, then productivity of high-value terpenoids is enhanced, but carotene content in fruit is depleted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the functional requirements of different plant tissues - leaves are engineered for high-level terpenoid biosynthesis while fruits maintain sufficient carotene content for nutritional quality, achieving both productivity enhancement and substance preservation through spatially differentiated gene expression
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the expression parameter of endogenous genes from high to low specifically in photosynthetic tissues to redirect metabolic flux toward heterologous terpenoid pathways, while maintaining adequate carotene levels in fruits through selective breeding or additional genetic modifications that preserve essential nutrient content
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The modified tomato plants serve as a chassis for efficient biosynthesis of high-value terpenoids, overcoming sustainability issues and enhancing production yield and productivity.
Implementation Method 1
engineering targeted modifications using CRISPR-Cas9 and guide RNA
Implementation Method 2
All terpenoids are biosynthesized from the two C5 isoprenoid building blocks isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) and its isomer dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP). The condensation of these precursors generates larger isoprenoid molecules including geranyl diphosphate (GPP, C10), farnesyl diphosphate (FPP, C15), and geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP, C20) which are first cyclized by terpene synthases to form the diverse terpene scaffolds and subsequently functionalized by cytochromes P450 into terpenoids
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein modified tomato plants, plant cells, plant parts, plant seeds, and fruit comprising targeted modifications to endogenous terpene or terpenoid biosynthetic genes resulting in decreased expression of the endogenous terpene or terpenoid biosynthetic gene relative to a reference plant lacking the modification. The decrease of expression in the endogenous terpene or terpenoid biosynthetic gene results in a depletion of carotene in the fruit of the tomato relative to the reference tomato plant lacking the modification. The disclosure further relates to expression of heterologous terpene or terpenoid biosynthetic genes in the modified tomato plants, and related methods and uses.