RNA Editing with CRISPR Cas-13

Current status and future prospects in cannabinoid production through in vitro culture and synthetic biology.

Terpenoids represent one of the high-value groups of specialized metabolites with vast structural diversity. They exhibit versatile human benefits and have been successfully exploited in several sectors of day-to-day life applications, including cosmetics, foods, and pharmaceuticals. Historically, the potential use of terpenoids is challenging, and highly hampered by their bioavailability in their natural sources. Significant progress has been made in recent years to overcome such challenges by advancing the heterologous production platforms of hosts and metabolic engineering technologies. Herein, we summarize the latest developments associated with analytical platforms, metabolic engineering, and synthetic biology, with a focus on two terpenoid classes: monoterpenoids and sesquiterpenoids. Accumulated data showed that subcellular localization of both the precursor pool and the introduced enzymes were the crucial factors for increasing the production of targeted terpenoids in plants. We believe this timely review provides a glimpse of current state-of-the-art techniques/methodologies related to terpenoid engineering that would facilitate further improvements in terpenoids research.

Metabolic Perturbation and Synthetic Biology Strategies for Plant Terpenoid Production—An Updated Overview

The genus Lycium belongs to the Solanaceae family and comprises more than 90 species distributed by diverse continents. Lycium barbarum is by far the most studied and has been advertised as a “superfood” with healthy properties. In contrast, there are some Lycium species which have been poorly studied, although used by native populations. L. europaeum, L. intricatum and L. schweinfurthii, found particularly in the Mediterranean region, are examples of scarcely investigated species. The chemical composition and the biological properties of these species were reviewed. The biological properties of L. barbarum fruits are mainly attributed to polysaccharides, particularly complex glycoproteins with different compositions. Studies regarding these metabolites are practically absent in L. europaeum, L. intricatum and L. schweinfurthii. The metabolites isolated and identified belong mainly to polyphenols, fatty acids, polysaccharides, carotenoids, sterols, terpenoids, tocopherols, and alkaloids (L. europaeum); phenolic acids, lignans, flavonoids, polyketides, glycosides, terpenoids, tyramine derivatives among other few compounds (L. schweinfurthii), and esters of phenolic acids, glycosides, fatty acids, terpenoids/phytosterols, among other few compounds (L. intricatum). The biological properties (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic against some cancer cell lines) found for these species were attributed to some metabolites belonging to those compound groups. Results of the study concluded that investigations concerning L. europaeum, L. intricatum and L. schweinfurthii are scarce, in contrast to L. barbarum.

https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1989/12/12/1265/pdf?version=1671091780

Chemical and Biological Properties of Three Poorly Studied Species of Lycium Genus—Short Review

<abstract>
 <p><italic>Ziziphora</italic> <italic>hispanica</italic> L. and <italic>Mentha</italic> <italic>pulegium</italic> L. are aromatic shrubs known to produce essential oils demanded by food industries. This study reports on the insecticidal activity of these two oils harvested in Khenifra (Morocco) and of its major compound (Pulegone) against the main legume bruchids. Chromatographic analysis revealed the presence of 33 compounds in the essential oil of <italic>Ziziphora</italic> <italic>hispanica</italic> (EOZH) and 24 compounds in the essential oil of <italic>Mentha</italic> <italic>pulegium</italic> (EOMP), with pulegone being the most dominant in both with percentages respectively of 79.1% and 63.8%. According to the insecticidal activities exerted, the two essential oils, as well as the pulegone, showed significant results against all the bruchids tested of legumes. Pulegone has shown good insecticidal activity, thus the lethal doses of 50% are between 61.6mg/g and 74.4mg/g, which explains the remarkable activity of the two essential oils which are rich in this molecule. moreover, the addition of essential oils in the storage of legumes does not have a significant effect on the legumes and does not diminish their nutritional qualities. This study indicates that essential oils and their main constituent have the potential to be developed into botanical insecticides.</p>
 </abstract>

Essential oils rich in pulegone for insecticide purpose against legume bruchus species: Case of Ziziphora hispanica L. and Mentha pulegium L.

Synthetic biology has been developing rapidly in the last decade and is attracting increasing attention from many plant biologists. The production of high-value plant-specific secondary metabolites is, however, limited mostly to microbes. This is potentially problematic because of incorrect post-translational modification of proteins and differences in protein micro-compartmentalization, substrate availability, chaperone availability, product toxicity, and cytochrome p450 reductase enzymes. Unlike other heterologous systems, plant cells may be a promising alternative for the production of high-value metabolites. Several commercial plant suspension cell cultures from different plant species have been used successfully to produce valuable metabolites in a safe, low cost, and environmentally friendly manner. However, few metabolites are currently being biosynthesized using plant platforms, with the exception of the natural pigment anthocyanin. Both Arabidopsis thaliana and Nicotiana tabacum cell cultures can be developed by multiple gene transformations and CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing. Given that the introduction of heterologous biosynthetic pathways into Arabidopsis and N. tabacum is not widely used, the biosynthesis of foreign metabolites is currently limited; however, therein lies great potential. Here, we discuss the exemplary use of plant cell cultures and prospects for using A. thaliana and N. tabacum cell cultures to produce valuable plant-specific metabolites.

Tong Wu

Papers

Plant cell cultures as heterologous bio-factories for secondary metabolite production.