Designing Plants with Novel Traits Using Forward and Reverse Genetics- the BenchBio Company Perspective

The challenge of the future will be the speed at which DNA sequence databases are analysed and candidate genes of agronomic importance selected and tested for function. The problem in this strategy is the lack of high throughput (HTP) tools to test the function of specific genes in a cellular context. Transgenic (GM) method is one route to validate the gene function and to also carry out crop improvement. However, this is not available in all crops. Furthermore, GM crops continue to face tremendous difficulties in public acceptance; the technology is expensive and also frequently limits ‘freedom to operate’ (FTO). Additionally, at present the GM method cannot keep pace with the speed at which candidate genes for important traits are being identified and prioritised for functional evaluation. At BenchBio, we are using an alternative tool; saturation mutagenesis in combination with forward and reverse genetics which offers an alternative way to improve crops without transgenics. Reverse genetics combines traditional chemical mutagenesis with sensitive molecular screenings to discover induced point mutations in genes controlling important traits whose sequence is known. Forward genetics combines identification of novel traits by phenotyping and cloning of genes afterwards. By combining these two methods new genotypes with potentially high agronomic value can be isolated and directly commercialized. We will present data to demonstrate that these methods can be used successfully to improve crops