Genome editing technologies for sustainable crops and resource optimization

Plant breeding plays a central role in ensuring food security and providing renewable raw materials. In the face of climate change and increasing demands for higher yields, as well as improved resistance to diseases, pests, and environmental stresses, modern breeding methods are becoming ever more important. Compared to traditional approaches, these new techniques promise greater precision and faster achievement of desired breeding goals.

New genomic techniques (NGTs), such as genome editing with CRISPR-Cas, enable the targeted modification of plant traits. In the EU, however, plants developed using this technology are still classified as transgenic. This classification entails high regulatory hurdles and significant associated costs for approval. A planned revision of EU genetic engineering legislation could help ease these restrictions — particularly benefiting small and medium-sized breeding companies.

The goal of the “GENIE” project is to develop a cost-efficient and license-free genome editing method that can be applied to a variety of crop species. At its core, the project combines a laser-based transfection method developed at Fraunhofer IME with the recently described OpenCRISPR-1 nuclease. This nuclease was generated using artificial intelligence and can be used commercially without licensing fees — a major advantage for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

In the current exploratory phase of the project, researchers are first investigating whether the OpenCRISPR-1 nuclease is suitable for genome editing in plants and can serve as an alternative enzyme to the widely used SpCas9 nuclease. In the next step, OpenCRISPR-1 will be combined with the laser-based delivery system, which enables the direct transfer of RNA-protein complexes into plant tissues followed by their regeneration into intact plants.

A key focus of the project is to reduce dependency on patented technologies. By integrating the OpenCRISPR-1 nuclease, breeding companies will gain access to a low-cost, open-source breeding technology, enabling the development of new plant varieties with enhanced nutritional or agronomic traits.

In the long term, the method aims to make plant breeding and production more efficient and sustainable, opening up new opportunities for the use of plant-based raw materials in food, industry, and the bioeconomy.

The GENIE project is being conducted by Fraunhofer IME and is funded by the BMFTR with a duration of 12 months.