Review
Instruments & Instrumentation
Jiao He, Weihong Ren, Wei Wang, Wenyan Han, Lu Jiang, Dai Zhang, Mengqi Guo
Summary: Exosomes, as extracellular vesicles secreted by living cells, possess natural targeting as nano-carriers for drug delivery systems. However, the natural targeting alone is insufficient for precise delivery, requiring engineering transformation and modification to optimize targeting efficiency.
DRUG DELIVERY AND TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Review
Plant Sciences
Ralph Bock
Summary: The technology of plastid genome transformation has great significance in metabolic engineering due to the ability of plastid genomes to accommodate large amounts of foreign DNA and the unique mode of inheritance. The absence of epigenetic gene silencing mechanisms in plastids and the high expression levels achieved further enhance its attractiveness. This review focuses on the engineering principles, tools, and recent applications of plastid genome transformation in metabolic engineering.
CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Agronomy
Satoru Sukegawa, Seiichi Toki, Hiroaki Saika
Summary: Genome editing technology is widely used in plant gene engineering and metabolic engineering, allowing for targeted gene knockout, modification, creation of new genetic alleles, and regulation of target gene expression level.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Xiang Li, Xiaoguang Liu, Wenhui Lu, Xinming Yin, Shiheng An
Summary: RNA interference (RNAi)-based biopesticides are biologic products developed using gene engineering techniques to interfere with gene expression in agricultural pests and weeds, reducing their damaging effects on crops. They can be classified into resistant plant-based biopesticides and non-plant-based biopesticides. The former combines the advantages of RNAi and genetically modified crops, controlling pests through plant-target organism interactions.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Agricultural Engineering
Soo Rin Kim, Soo-Jung Kim, Sun-Ki Kim, Seung-Oh Seo, Sujeong Park, Jamin Shin, Jeong-Sun Kim, Bo-Ram Park, Yong-Su Jin, Pahn-Shick Chang, Yong-Cheol Park
Summary: This review summarizes the recent advances in metabolic engineering strategies for CO2 fixation in yeasts and discusses the potential of other natural and synthetic metabolic pathways independent of RuBisCO for developing CO2-fixing yeast strains capable of producing value-added biochemicals.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Sheng Yang, Yi Deng, Shengchun Li
Summary: This minireview discusses recent advances in plastid genome engineering and the production of high-value metabolites using transplastomic plants.
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Ming-Na Tong, Yan-Gang Zhao, Zhao-Hui Lu
Summary: A new method for normal transformation of correlated non-normal random variables based on L-moments is proposed in this paper. The admissible range of this transformation is shown to be wider than that based on C-moments, and the method is proven effective and sufficiently accurate for reliability engineering practices.
RELIABILITY ENGINEERING & SYSTEM SAFETY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Lisa M. LaManna, Mugdha S. Parulekar, Pal Maliga
Summary: Efficient plastid transformation in oilseed rape was achieved by inactivating nuclear encoded ACCase genes using CRISPR-Cas9. This study provides a novel approach for gene editing and potential resources for genetic improvement in oilseed rape.
Article
Mathematics
Ming-Na Tong, Fu-Qiang Shen, Chen-Xing Cui
Summary: A method based on the inverse transformation of the L-moments Hermite model is proposed in this paper for structural reliability analysis. Through numerical examples, it is found that the method is effective for normal transformations and provides reliable results that are close to those obtained using known probability density functions.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Rabea Ghandour, Yang Gao, Josephin Laskowski, Rouhollah Barahimipour, Stephanie Ruf, Ralph Bock, Reimo Zoschke
Summary: In plant biotechnology, the expression of transgenes in chloroplasts is common practice. However, the potential unintended effects on native chloroplast genes are often overlooked. This study examined the expression of the chloroplast genome in transplastomic tobacco plants and found that transgene insertion can lead to overexpression of downstream genes and interfere with the transcription and translation of nearby genes. The study suggests strategies to minimize unintended consequences of transgene expression on native chloroplast genes.
PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2023)
Review
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Zhuoning Cao, Zhen Liu, Xiangzhao Mao
Summary: Metabolic engineering is widely used for low-cost substrate synthesis, ecofriendly fermentation processes, and efficient substrate synthesis. Quorum sensing (QS), a mechanism of intercellular communication in microorganisms, can be used to regulate metabolic synthesis in microbial engineering. This review provides an overview of the bacterial QS mechanisms, summarizes various regulatory strategies and applications in metabolic engineering, and suggests further research on fungal QS systems.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Review
Plant Sciences
Antonello Paparella, Liora Shaltiel-Harpaza, Mwafaq Ibdah
Summary: Beta-Ionone is a natural plant volatile compound with various biological activities, including flavors, pigments, and growth regulators. Research has shown its potential as an insect attractant or repellant. To increase production, scientists have reconstructed enzyme pathways in microorganisms.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Hao-Nan Wang, Xia Ke, Rui Jia, Liang-Gang Huang, Zhi-Qiang Liu, Yu-Guo Zheng
Summary: In this study, multivariate modular metabolic engineering (MMME) was used to reconstitute the metabolic balance in Fusarium fujikuroi for enhanced production of gibberellic acid (GA(3)). By optimizing three modules including the precursor pool, cluster-specific channel, and P450-mediated oxidation, the production of GA(3) was successfully improved. This study presents a promising approach for efficient microbial transformation in agro-industrial applications.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Letter
Plant Sciences
Aki Matsuoka, Pal Maliga
Summary: This study demonstrates the potential feasibility of retargeting Agrobacterium Vir proteins to deliver T-DNA directly to chloroplasts.
Review
Plant Sciences
Asem Mipeshwaree Devi, Khomdram Khedashwori Devi, Pukhrambam Premi Devi, Moirangthem Lakshmipriyari Devi, Sudripta Das
Summary: Plants produce secondary metabolites that are important for their primary functions. Some of these metabolites have benefits for human health. The CRISPR/Cas9-mediated system has been widely used for genome editing and functional genomics, but it also faces challenges in plant applications.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yi Dong, Mengting Wu, Qi Zhang, Jinqiu Fu, F. Vanessa Loiacono, Yong Yang, Zican Wang, Shengchun Li, Ling Chang, Ralph Bock, Jiang Zhang
Summary: The expression of double-stranded RNAs in plastids has the potential to control chewing insects. This study investigates whether plastid-mediated RNA interference (RNAi) can be used to control sap-sucking insects. The results show that sap-sucking hemipteran insects acquire plastid RNA and that transplastomic plants expressing double-stranded RNAs targeting a specific gene exhibit significant resistance to aphids. The study demonstrates the effectiveness of plastid-mediated RNAi in controlling sap-sucking insect pests.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yang Gao, Wolfram Thiele, Omar Saleh, Federico Scossa, Fayezeh Arabi, Hongmou Zhang, Arun Sampathkumar, Kristina Kuehn, Alisdair Fernie, Ralph Bock, Mark A. Schoettler, Reimo Zoschke
Summary: This study reveals the importance of translational regulation of chloroplast genes in plant cold acclimation and identifies a critical role of a small cytochrome b6f complex subunit in chilling tolerance.
Article
Plant Sciences
Jinqiu Fu, Shijing Xu, Huan Lu, Fanchi Li, Shengchun Li, Ling Chang, David G. Heckel, Ralph Bock, Jiang Zhang
Summary: Plant-mediated RNA interference (RNAi) using dsRNA or siRNA has shown promise in pest control, but little is known about the molecular mechanisms. This study found that siRNAs derived from transgenic plants may be more effective triggers of RNAi in Lepidoptera than dsRNAs.
PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Qiqi Chen, Pan Shen, Ralph Bock, Shengchun Li, Jiang Zhang
Summary: A global survey of plastid gene expression during fruit ripening in kiwifruit reveals cis-elements that can potentially trigger high-level transgene expression in edible tissues, providing valuable resources for analyzing plastid gene expression and future efforts to engineer the plastid genome of kiwifruit.
PLANT CELL REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mengting Wu, Yi Dong, Qi Zhang, Shengchun Li, Ling Chang, F. Vanessa Loiacono, Stephanie Ruf, Jiang Zhang, Ralph Bock
Summary: This study explores the feasibility of using plastid-mediated RNA interference (PM-RNAi) to control the western flower thrip, a notorious pest. By introducing double-stranded RNA or hairpin RNA into transplastomic tobacco plants, the researchers were able to induce RNAi response in the thrips, leading to efficient suppression of target genes and high insect mortality. This research extends the application of PM-RNAi technology and provides design principles for constructing transplastomic plants expressing double-stranded RNA, offering an effective approach to control tough insect pests in agriculture and horticulture.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shaobo Wei, Xia Li, Zefu Lu, Hui Zhang, Xiangyuan Ye, Yujie Zhou, Jing Li, Yanyan Yan, Hongcui Pei, Fengying Duan, Danying Wang, Song Chen, Peng Wang, Chao Zhang, Lianguang Shang, Yue Zhou, Peng Yan, Ming Zhao, Jirong Huang, Ralph Bock, Qian Qian, Wenbin Zhou
Summary: In this study, a photosynthesis-related transcription factor, OsDREB1C, was identified and found to regulate various functions such as photosynthetic capacity, nitrogen utilization, and flowering time in rice. Field trials with OsDREB1C-overexpressing rice showed increased yield, shortened growth duration, and improved nitrogen use efficiency.
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Junjie Tan, Joachim Forner, Daniel Karcher, Ralph Bock
Summary: Genome editing has revolutionized biological research, with CRISPR/Cas-based editing being the preferred technology due to its simplicity and flexibility. Fusion of Cas nucleases with large protein domains allows for combination of DNA recognition properties with new enzymatic activities. Base editors and prime editors, produced by fusion with nucleoside deaminase or reverse transcriptase domains, induce site-specific alterations of a few nucleotides without generating double-strand breaks. Protein-only genome editing reagents based on transcription activator-like effectors have expanded base editing to chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes. This review summarizes current base editing methods for nuclear and organellar genomes, highlighting advances in precision, specificity, and efficiency, as well as discussing limitations and future challenges. In addition, applications in agricultural biotechnology and gene therapy are briefly overviewed.
TRENDS IN GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Omar Sandoval-Ibanez, David Rolo, Rabea Ghandour, Alexander P. Hertle, Tegan Armarego-Marriott, Arun Sampathkumar, Reimo Zoschke, Ralph Bock
Summary: The DEIP1 protein interacts with the PetA and PetB subunits and plays an essential role in the assembly of the Cytb6f complex. This finding provides insights into the assembly pathway of a crucial complex in photosynthesis.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Mengting Wu, Qi Zhang, Yi Dong, Zican Wang, Wenqin Zhan, Zebin Ke, Shengchun Li, Lin He, Stephanie Ruf, Ralph Bock, Jiang Zhang
Summary: Spider mites take up plastid RNA upon feeding. Transplastomic plants expressing dsRNA targeted against spider mite beta-Actin mRNA showed high levels of resistance to spider mites and induced a more robust RNAi response compared to nuclear transgenic plants expressing dsRNA. This study demonstrates the potential of PM-RNAi as an efficient pest control measure for spider mites.
Article
Plant Sciences
Andre Vidal-Meireles, Soujanya Kuntam, Eszter Szeles, David Toth, Juliane Neupert, Ralph Bock, Szilvia Z. Toth
Summary: The lifetime of PSBO in green algae is strongly influenced by light intensity and carbon availability. It is crucial for the stability of photosystem II and loss of PSBO leads to significant changes in cell morphology and cell cycle.
PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Rabea Ghandour, Yang Gao, Josephin Laskowski, Rouhollah Barahimipour, Stephanie Ruf, Ralph Bock, Reimo Zoschke
Summary: In plant biotechnology, the expression of transgenes in chloroplasts is common practice. However, the potential unintended effects on native chloroplast genes are often overlooked. This study examined the expression of the chloroplast genome in transplastomic tobacco plants and found that transgene insertion can lead to overexpression of downstream genes and interfere with the transcription and translation of nearby genes. The study suggests strategies to minimize unintended consequences of transgene expression on native chloroplast genes.
PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Deserah D. Strand, Daniel Karcher, Stephanie Ruf, Anne Schadach, Mark A. Schoettler, Omar Sandoval-Ibanez, David Hall, David M. Kramer, Ralph Bock
Summary: Understanding the regulation of photosynthetic light harvesting and electron transfer is crucial to improving the electron transport chain for downstream metabolism. ATP synthase, a central regulator of the chain, is thermodynamically and post-translationally regulated, with proposed phosphorylation sites. This study focused on the N-terminal serines on the catalytic subunit beta in tobacco, previously suggested to be important for dark inactivation of ATP synthase. The findings show that phosphorylation may not play a clear role in dark inactivation, but loss of N-terminal phosphorylation affects ATP synthase accumulation during assembly.
Article
Plant Sciences
Rudan Geng, Xiaoqing Pang, Xia Li, Shanshan Shi, Boris Hedtke, Bernhard Grimm, Ralph Bock, Jirong Huang, Wenbin Zhou
Summary: This study investigates the role of chloroplast-localized gene PCD8 in tetrapyrrole biosynthesis (TBS) and reveals its interaction with ClpC1 and several TBS enzymes. The findings uncover the function of PCD8 and provide a new perspective for understanding the molecular regulation of TBS in plants.
Review
Plant Sciences
Hang Su, Andre van Eerde, Espen Rimstad, Ralph Bock, Norica Branza-Nichita, Igor A. Yakovlev, Jihong Liu Clarke
Summary: Plants are valuable sources of food, feed, herbal medicines, and raw materials for industry. They can also serve as green factories for producing biopharmaceuticals and vaccines. Plant-based production platforms offer advantages such as scalability, cost-effectiveness, and safety. Recent developments include plant-made vaccines for COVID-19 and Ebola, as well as clinical trials for plant-made influenza vaccines.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Julia Smirnova, Justus Loerke, Gunnar Kleinau, Andrea Schmidt, Joerg Buerger, Etienne H. Meyer, Thorsten Mielke, Patrick Scheerer, Ralph Bock, Christian M. T. Spahn, Reimo Zoschke
Summary: Translation in plant cells occurs in three compartments, and this study focuses on the structure of the 80S ribosomes in the cytosol. By using cryo-electron microscopy, the researchers solved the structure of translating tobacco ribosomes and gained insights into the molecular underpinnings of cytosolic translation in plants.
Review
Biochemical Research Methods
Pei-Ru Chen, Peng-Fei Xia
Summary: Carbon dioxide plays a crucial role in mitigating global climate change and supporting life on Earth. Synthetic biology and metabolic engineering offer a promising approach to enhance CO2 fixation by combining the advantages of autotrophic and heterotrophic organisms. This article reviews the current progress in constructing synthetic CO2 fixation pathways, discusses the underlying design principles and challenges, and provides insights into the future of carbon recycling through engineered synthetic carbon fixation pathways.
CURRENT OPINION IN BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2024)