An Old and New tool for plant breeding
Information for breeders
Historically, plant breeding has relied upon the selection of desirable variants resulting from sexual hybridization between varieties, and occasionally from rare spontaneous inter-species hybridizations. In modern, and possibly in future breeding, genetic variation from a broader source, namely, beyond the species gene pool, can be exploited, by homeologous recombination or by transgenesis. All these breeding tools are still inefficient and must be improved. As these tools rely upon DNA recombination, the concepts of RecBreed are as follows:
- Breeders must be provided with new homologous recombination (HR)-related tools to accelerate the production of new variants and to broaden the gene pool they can exploit.
- Our work should enable to better exploit biodiversity at large: within the species, by enhanced rates of HR, between related species, by enhancing homeologous recombination, and beyond the limits of sexual reproduction, via the precise modification of any gene in the genome.
- We rely on the fundamental understanding of the HR process to improve the rates of homologous recombination for both gene targeting (GT) and meiotic crossing-over between homologous and homeologous chromosomes.
- Key stages of HR (double strand break induction, strand invasion and intermediate resolution) are conserved for both GT and meiotic HR. Therefore, by addressing these stages and by using new assays for both GT and meiotic HR, our research has a broad impact on two major aspects of plant breeding: enhancing rates of meiotic HR for and developing precise transgenesis via GT.
- We combine the use of a model system, Arabidopsis, and of two crops (maize and tomato) through a close interaction between academic and industrial partners to facilitate rapid implementation of scientific findings into breeding prototypes.
- The new industrial prototypes that should emerge from our work are crop plants with enhanced HR properties regarding meiotic HR (homologous and homeologous) and GT.
The RECBREED project will provide plant breeders with new tools allowing better control over HR in both somatic and meiotic cells. The expected outcomes of the proposed research are efficient gene targeting (GT) technologies for precise engineering of plant genomes as well as the ability to control rates of meiotic recombination between homologous or homeologous chromosomes in classical breeding.
All the above mentioned goals are integrated in the RECBREED network in a way that all 7 partners, 5 of them at academic positions and two of them being in industry, interconnect. The two industrial members of the RECBREED consortium are the Dutch company KeyGene (Partner 6. Click here for an interview with the group leader, Dr. Paul Bundock) and the French company BIOGEMMA (Partner 7. Click here for an interview with the group leader, Dr. Wyatt Paul).
KeyGene provides its partners and customers in the plant breeding industry contract research, partnerships and molecular genetic services.
KeyGene delivers novel enabling technologies and applications to support companies and institutes that carry out fundamental or applied genetic/genomic research or that seek to enhance the quality of their products through the improvement of their genetic material.
KeyGene based in Wageningen, the Netherlands, was founded in 1989 by a number of Dutch seed companies. Their goal was and is to create synergy and higher efficiency in their molecular genetic research programs and thus improve their breeding efforts. Today, KeyGene has four strategic shareholders active in the field of vegetable breeding:
KeyGene’s strategic shareholders:
At the time of its foundation KeyGene employed three people. Since then KeyGene has grown continuously and several times it has had to expand its facilities considerably. Currently, KeyGene employs more than 130 staff.
For more information, visit our website: http://www.keygene.com
A Field Crop Plant Biotechnology Company with a Global Vision
Phenotypic variability in a genetically diverse set of wheat
Our Mission
Biogemma’s mission is to discover, acquire and integrate data on any source of genetic variability and use this:
- Directly, by creating new variability via GM plant development according to market needs
- Indirectly by providing molecular markers and physiological information to our shareholders for their breeding efforts.
And to develop innovation and partnerships required improving our shareholders’ competitiveness
Synteny: a resource in comparative genomics – e.g. the “inner circle” of cereal genomes (Curr Op Plant Biol 2009)
Company Background
Biogemma is a European plant biotechnology company founded in 1997 by seed companies and French field crop producers. Its original mission was to create new genetic variability via GM traits to be exploited by its shareholding companies.
With the arrival of the plant genomics boom in 1999-2000, Biogemma’s role was enlarged to include the development of genomics tools for its main target species and the production of informative markers for genes identified in the genomics projects. Such products promote the marker-assisted breeding programmes.
Today, Biogemma has around 80 staff and 4 sites: Headquarters in Paris (F), a main wheat and maize genomics laboratory near Clermont- Ferrand (F), an oilseed research laboratory near Toulouse (F) and a field trial station in Ames (USA). Research programmes focus on maize (corn), wheat, oilseed rape (Canola) and sunflower. We access the latest technologies in for example transcriptome analysis, Next Generation Sequencing and genotyping either directly in-house or through collaboration with partners offering these technologies.
Biogemma’s shareholders
:The Limagrain Group, Euralis Semences, RAGT, Sofiproteol and Unigrains. The French technical institute, Arvalis is a key partner.
Efficient Gene Validation and GMO Development
Genomics “from field to gene” – identifying the key elements in the masses of genomic and phenotypic data
To fulfill its mission of creating new variability, Biogemma has developed an efficient transgenic pipeline. Gene constructs are built in proprietary vectors and transformed into maize and wheat using either FTO or proprietary technologies. The aim is to validate genes in our species of interest within 3 to 4 years and to prepare transgenic events for commercial deregulation. The genes used are coming either from our own research or different collaborations with research partners from the public and private sectors.
The cereal transformation pipeline – “from gene to field”.
A COLLABORATIVE STRATEGY
Developing new genetic variability from a scientific observation to a ready to market product is a long and costly process. Our company is addressing critical research targets identified by our shareholders. We exploit a number of powerful molecular technology and phenotyping platforms, around genomics, genetics, bioinformatics and transgenesis. This broad in-house pipeline generates high-added value tools, and any additional information on our most important traits helps improve the efficiency of our process.
Biogemma is very much in favour of collaborative projects. They bring knowledge and skills to improve our choice of targets and gives our partners a stake in adding value to their results. We are and have been involved in numerous collaborations, ranging from almost exclusively scientific work in initiatives like the French Génoplante programme or EU research projects, to targeted collaborations with biotech companies worldwide aimed at commercial development.
Our locations (yellow star) and collaborations (red dot)
For more information, visit our website: http://www.biogemma.com/