Bioengineering of glucosinolate production in different host organisms

a. Engineering of glucosinolate production in potato
The project is aimed at engineering glucosinolate production into potato for increased pest resistance. Potato production originates from the Central Andes, where co-cultivation system of potato and the glucosinolate-producing Tropaeolum tuberosum, locally known as mashua is an integral part of traditional, subsistence agriculture.

 

Traditionally, mashua is used as a 'barrier crop' reported to have protective effects against pest attack on potato in the field. Other glucosinolate-producing plants, such as e.g. Brassica crops, have status as 'breaking crop' or rotation crops used to break the life cycle of pathogens.

 

Prior to transformation of constructs into potato, we transiently transform Nicotiana benthamiana to test that the constructs are functional and also the feasibility of the engineering approach.

 

b. Engineering glucosinolate production in microorganisms
We will establish a state-of-the-art yeast technology platform by combining pathway and transport engineering for cost-efficient, biological production of glucosinolates glucoraphanin, - the potent cancer-preventive compound in broccoli. This work is done in collaboration with Dr. Uffe Mortensen, Center for Microbial Biotechnology, Denmarks Technical University.

 

Our goal is to establish a glucoraphanin production platform in yeast and to make important steps towards providing evidence-based documentation for the health-promoting benefits of glucoraphanin, the major glucosinolate in broccoli.