Engineering Crassulacean Acid Metabolism in C₃ and C₄ Plants

Journal Article · Tue Dec 05 00:00:00 EST 2023 · Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1101/cshperspect.a041674· OSTI ID:2438662

Yang, Xiaohan ^[1]; Liu, Yang ^[1]; Yuan, Guoliang ^[2]; Weston, David J. ^[1]; Tuskan, Gerald A. ^[1]

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1. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
2. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is a major greenhouse gas contributing to changing climatic conditions, which is a grand challenge affecting the security of food, energy, and environment. Photosynthesis plays the central role in plant-based CO₂ reduction. Additionally, plants performing CAM (crassulacean acid metabolism) photosynthesis have a much higher water use efficiency than those performing C₃ or C₄ photosynthesis. Therefore, there is a great potential for engineering CAM in C₃ or C₄ crops to enhance food/biomass production and carbon sequestration on arid, semiarid, abandoned, or marginal lands. Recent progresses in CAM plant genomics and evolution research, along with new advances in plant biotechnology, have provided a solid foundation for bioengineering to convert C₃/C₄ plants into CAM plants. Here, we first discuss the potential strategies for CAM engineering based on our current understanding of CAM evolution. Then we describe the technical approaches for engineering CAM in C₃ and C₄ plants, with a focus on an iterative four-step pipeline: (1) designing gene modules, (2) building the gene modules and transforming them into target plants, (3) testing the engineered plants through an integration of molecular biology, biochemistry, metabolism, and physiological approaches, and (4) learning to inform the next round of CAM engineering. Finally, we discuss the challenges and future opportunities for fully realizing the potential of CAM engineering.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 2438662
• Journal Information: Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology, Journal Name: Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 16; ISSN 1943-0264
• Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES