Genetically engineered ‘on-off switch’ could activate drought tolerance in plants

An innovative ‘on-off’ switch added to a plant protein may one day allow farmers to prep crops for drought by spraying them with a commonly used agricultural compound.

The technique, reported on 4 February in Nature, works by closing tiny pores — called stomata — in leaves that let in carbon dioxide, a key ingredient in photosynthesis, but lose water in the process.

One way that plants respond to limited water is to boost levels of a hormone called abscisic acid (ABA). That hormone, in turn, reduces water loss by closing stomata.

Researchers found the proteins that sense ABA and trigger those responses. Sean Cutler, a plant biologist at the University of California, Riverside, and his team then began to explore how to put the discovery to practical use. The researchers mapped where ABA binds to one such protein receptor, and created a library containing every possible mutation at that site. They then tested their mutant receptors against a host of chemicals used in agriculture.

 

{{ reviewsTotal }}{{ options.labels.singularReviewCountLabel }}
{{ reviewsTotal }}{{ options.labels.pluralReviewCountLabel }}
{{ options.labels.newReviewButton }}
{{ userData.canReview.message }}
screenshot at  pm

Are pesticide residues on food something to worry about?

In 1962, Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring drew attention to pesticides and their possible dangers to humans, birds, mammals and the ...
glp menu logo outlined

Newsletter Subscription

* indicates required
Email Lists
glp menu logo outlined

Get news on human & agricultural genetics and biotechnology delivered to your inbox.