Gene discovered in ocean algae may help increase food production on land.

 Scientists at UC Riverside in California recently discovered a gene that codes for the production of a chlorophyll specific to marine algae and kelp.  Chlorophyll c is able to absorb wavelengths of light that penetrate deeper into the ocean.  Specifically blue-green light.  This adaption evolved from the need for more light absorbance since the ocean absorbs red light, which is more available to land plants.  Chlorophyll c helps algae to thrive in the ocean.  Terrestrial plants can only produce chlorophylls a and b, however the study demonstrated that tobacco, a land plant, could be genetically modified to produce chlorophyll c.  This alteration could allow for land plants to absorb a broader range light and increase productivity.  This has good implications for dealing with food scarcity and producing biofuel.

This article reminds me of one of the exercises we did in lab, and that was inserting the GFP gene from jellyfish into a DNA plasmid in E. coli. I wonder if inserting the chlorophyll c gene from algae into tobacco utilizes the same methods.  This article never outright said it, but the main point was that they potentially found a way to make better GMO's.  I don't know a lot about GMO's, but in the secondary article linked below, I read that their most common commercial use is in farmed plants.  Typically GMOs in the produce section have selected traits that increase their shelf life, make them more resistant to pests and diseases, and make them taste better.  The chlorophyll c gene may help land plants absorb more light and that would help increase crop yield.  However in the study they've only found that it can inserted into tobacco.  So we'll have to wait and see if it can be inserted into more plants.

 

Main article: https://www.earth.com/news/marine-algae-genes-chlorophyll-boost-crop-yields-land-plants/

GMO Article: https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/genetically-modified-organisms/

First Gene-Edited Soybean Oil Sold

An article recently published by The Scientist discusses the first sale of gene-edited soybean oil for commercial use. Calyxt, an agriculture-focused company based in Minnesota, has developed a product called Calyno oil and sold it to a Midwestern restaurant with multiple locations. The company has modified their soybeans to produce a “high oleic” oil with no trans fats and less saturated fat. Calyxt stated that transcription activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN) was used to alter the soybeans.  The company used precision technologies to edit the soybean crop and does not consider their new product a GMO. Calyno oil is being marketed as a non-GMO oil similar to olive, sunflower, and safflower oils. Calyxt hopes to sell to consumers in the near future. 

I was a little concerned by this article. Nowhere in the article is the FDA or regulations mentioned. GMO foods face large scrutiny before becoming available for consumers and commercial businesses. What standards are being used to evaluate gene-edited products? Has there been enough research on gene-edited products to ensure they are safe for consumption? Further research is needed on gene-edited crops to ensure they are safe for human consumption.