United Nations Pavilion, EXPO 2015 Milano
photo: E. Pedrazzini
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sugar cane maize rice wheat milk (cow) potato vegetables cassava soybean eggplant
The great cropsGlobal production (Gtons) 2013
FAOSTAT
Barley yield through millennia
Stanca et al.
• Natural genetic variability of a given species may be wide, but it is neverunlimited
• Beyond a certain limit, you have two options:• search for alternative crops• artificially introduce mutations, using whatever method is available
The hidden hunger
Phytic acid is the principal storage form of phosphorus in seeds
• Phytic acid has strong affinity to metals, making them far less absorbable in the intestines
• It is estimated that only 5% of the Fe and 25% of the Zn in legumes and cerealseeds is bioavaliable
cytosol
vacuole
The bean lpa1 mutant has a non functional PHYTIC ACIDtransporter (Pvmrp1) at the vacuolar membrane
glutamic acid 1155 → lysine
90% reduction of phytic acid in the seed
Panzeri et al (2011)Sparvoli & Cominelli (2014)Sparvoli & Cominelli (2015)
Biscuits made with 1/3 lpa1 bean flour
From molecules, through the field, to our table
PROTEIN 37,5 %
ESSENTIALAMINO ACIDS
PHYTIC ACID 51,5 %
Lys 244,0 %Trp 134,0 %
Sparvoli et al. in preparation
Average global protein supply quantity(g/capita/day)
cereals (excluding beer) 31.90 grams
animal products 31.70 grams
pulses 4.0 grams
FAOSTAT
Wheat gluten structure: still an open question 10.000 years after domestication
Gluten
After Salamini et al., 2002
Gliadins Glutenins
Monomeric Polymeric
The fertile crescent Tecnological properties
Technological quality
Ceriotti & Grasso
food lysine tryptophan methionine + cysteinerice 36 13 36wheat 26 12 35maize 29 7 40soybean 64 13 26common bean 72 10 19beef 87 12 37milk 79 14 34fish 100 11 45egg 70 16 56
estimated human requirements (FAO 2011)0 – 6 months 69 17 336 months – 3 years 57 8.5 27> 3 years 48 6.6 23
Some essential amino acids (mg/g protein)
Nutritional quality
THE FIRST….
• Plant mRNAs and genes to be isolated and sequenced• Plant genes introduced into a transgenic plant• Plant proteins modified through genetic engineering
BUT….
The paradox of seed storage proteins
“…….despite the investment of millions of dollars bythe major seed/plant biotechnology companies, theconsumer is yet to see a transgenic cereal or legumecrop expressing higher levels of essential amino acids”
Rao (2008) Plant Physiol. 147: 6–12
Possible explanations
• Major seed biotech companies have rapidly shifted their interest toproducers’ rather than consumers’ expectations: yield has beenconsidered more important than quality
• Seed storage proteins belong to allergenic protein families
• Altering protein structure without side effects on stability is not easy,we need to understand more
alternative crops
Chenopodium quinoaAmaranthus
food lysine tryptophan methionine + cysteinerice 36 13 36wheat 26 12 35maize 32 6 40Quality Protein Maize 45 10 39soybean 64 13 26common bean 72 10 19quinoa 61 11 48amaranth 51 – 61 9 - 18 41 - 49camelina1 52 15 51flax2 38 19 43cannabis2 42 16 41beef 87 12 37milk 79 14 34fish 100 11 45egg 70 16 56
estimated human requirements (FAO 2011)0 – 6 months 69 17 336 months – 3 years 57 8.5 27> 3 years 48 6.6 23
2Russo et al (2015)
1Colombini et al (2012)
crop Yield (tons/hectar)
year 2000 2013
quinoa 0,8 0,9
wheat 2,7 3,3
rice 3,9 4,5
maize 4,3 5,5
soybean 2,2 2,5
common bean 0,7 0,8
faostat.fao.org
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QuinoaGlobal production (tons)
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PerùBoliviaPrice (USD/ton)
food lysine tryptophan methionine + cysteinerice 36 13 36wheat 26 12 35maize 32 6 40Quality Protein Maize 45 10 39soybean 64 13 26common bean 72 10 19quinoa 61 11 48amaranth 51 – 61 9 - 18 41 - 49camelina1 52 15 51flax2 38 19 43cannabis2 42 16 41beef 87 12 37milk 79 14 34fish 100 11 45egg 70 16 56
estimated human requirements (FAO 2011)0 – 6 months 69 17 336 months – 3 years 57 8.5 27> 3 years 48 6.6 23
2Russo et al (2015)
1Colombini et al (2012)
name % lysine and tryptophan
seed phenotype Storage proteins
opaque2 nearly doubled opaque, fragile less α-zeins
opaque2 QPM nearly doubled normal (vitreous) less α-zeins
Maize quality improvement
Holding (2014)
name % lysine and tryptophan
seed phenotype Storage proteins
opaque2 nearly doubled opaque, fragile less α-zeins
opaque2 QPM nearly doubled normal (vitreous) less α-zeins
Maize quality improvement
Holding (2014)
Parent-of-origin effects on α-zein expression
o2-Parent 1c
o2-Parent 2
♂P2 x ♀P1
♀P1 x ♂P2
zeins
Hybrid production for better quality may be influenced by epigenetic phenomenathat we still do not understand in detail
Lauria et al, 2004, 2014Ciceri et al, 2000
PNAS 2010 107 (29) 12810
Elimination of 27 kD and 16 kD γ-zeins abolishes the vitreousrestored phenotype in QPM maize
What is peculiar in these proteins?
αγ 16 kDβ
δ
γ 27 kD
γ 50 kD
zeinsMainieri et al
Clarissa LancilliMassimiliano Lauria
Davide MainieriClaudia MarranoIride Mascheretti
Emanuela PedrazziniRaul Pirona
Angelo Viotti
Eleonora CominelliMaria Gloria Daminati
Roberto BolliniDario Panzeri
Francesca Sparvoli
Incoronata GalassoRemo ReggianiRoberto Russo
Aldo CeriottiAldo Grazzo
• Università degli Studi, Milano• Università. Di Pavia• Università di Modena• University of East Anglia• CREA, Bologna, Bergamo,
Montanaso Lombardo, Lodi• CINVESTAV, Irapuato• USDA, Madison• BOKU, Vienna
Framework agreement CNR – RegioneLombardia
maize
common bean
camelinaflaxcannabis
wheat
• The boundaries between established genetic modification (GM) and non-GM techniques will become increasingly blurred as techniques develop.
• A regulatory system based on the characteristics of a novel crop, by whatever method it has been produced, would provide more effective and robust regulation than current EU processes, which consider new crop varieties differently depending on the method used to generate them.
• We ask that EU regulators confirm that the products of new breeding techniques, when they do not contain foreign DNA, do not fall within the scope of GMO legislation.
• The aim in the EU should be to regulate the specific agricultural trait and/or product, not the technology.• At the same time, there is also continuing need for wide-ranging engagement on critical issues and this should
include re-examination of the appropriate use of the precautionary principle.
NEW TECHNIQUES FOR GENETIC CROP IMPROVEMENT Position statement
NEW BREEDING TECHNIQUES Statement
The European Commission’s delays in clarifying the legal status of the NPBTs weaken the competitiveness of the EU plant breeding sector. EU farmers already suffer unfair competition from primary producers in other regions of the world regarding access to all appropriate tools including genetic engineering and NPBTs.
CROP GENETIC IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES Statement
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