Innovation holds promise to create disease-resistant, high-yield plants that require fewer resources.
A genome editing tool, developed with transposable element technology from University of South Carolina-Aiken (USCA) associate professor Nathan Hancock’s lab, is could transform agriculture by enabling precise, targeted DNA insertions in plant genomes. This method promises to create crops that are more disease-resistant, less reliant on fertilizers and pesticides, and quicker to bring to market.
Hancock, coauthor of the paper titled “Transposase-assisted target site integration for efficient plant genome engineering,” published in Nature, collaborated with Keith Slotkin of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center to develop this new tool. Slotkin’s genome editing process utilizes the transposable element technology pioneered by Hancock, combined with CRISPR, to insert DNA at specific locations in plant genomes. Their work is detailed in a USCA news release.
“This is a breakthrough in plant genome editing that will continue to improve agriculture,” Hancock shared in the release. “By being able to precisely target DNA changes, we can create stronger, more sustainable crops much faster and with fewer resources.”
Two USCA undergraduate students, Kaili Renkin and Megan Collins, also contributed to the paper. They said that prior methods of DNA integration were often random and error-prone, delaying crop improvement and increasing costs.
Hancock has studied the mPing transposable element—DNA sequences that naturally move within genomes—since 2005, and his team’s improvements to the jumping efficiency of these elements have been key to this success.
“Right now, DNA is randomly inserted into plant genomes, which can disrupt vital genes and cause unintended consequences,” Hancock explained. “Our method allows us to make targeted changes, ensuring better crops and more food.”
The new “cut-and-paste” system, as Slotkin describes it, allows for the genome to be precisely cut at a specific location and the desired genetic material inserted using transposable elements. This process could lead to plants with enhanced resistance to viruses, better nutrient levels, higher yields, and improved taste—all critical factors in feeding a growing global population.
Funded by the National Science Foundation, the technology has already secured a patent and will soon be licensed to seed companies for plant breeding applications.
“This is only the beginning,” Hancock said. “We’re just scratching the surface of what this technology can do.”
