The Problem:
Traditional plastid genome (plastome) engineering is performed using homologous recombination to integrate transgenes into the endogenous plastome of plants. For species with the most efficient tissue culture systems, the complete replacement of the native plastomes with engineered plastomes (homoplasmy) is laborious and lengthy. Therefore, quick and efficient methods are desirable for transforming chloroplasts with nucleic acid constructs containing genes that confer desirable characteristics to the plant cells.
The Solution:
Researchers at the University of Tennessee have developed a novel approach for expressing one or more genes of interest in chloroplasts. Episomal DNA vectors are designed to function as extra-plastomic DNA that replicate sustainably and autonomously in the chloroplasts of the transformed plant cells. This innovation provides a significant advancement in terms of speed, flexibility, and the prospects of introducing several synthetic constructs with optimized transgene expression in a single transformation event.
Benefits:
Patent # US11549121B2