Development of Host induced Gene Editing (Hi-GE): a novel platform for bacterial disease control

植物和动物的细菌性疾病分别对农作物和牲畜造成毁灭性损害，导致重大的全球经济损失（每年价值数十亿英镑）。随着抗药性细菌威胁人类健康的增加，农业综合企业面临减少抗生素使用的压力。通过基因编辑（GE）开发抗菌抗性显示出希望，但仍然受到缓慢/昂贵的基因发现的限制。细菌是引起新兴传染性植物疾病的主要病原体之一。一个引人注目的例子是柑橘绿化或黄龙病，这被认为是全球最具破坏性的柑橘疾病（Dala-Paula_et_al_2019）。柑橘绿化影响树的健康以及果实的发育、成熟和质量。目前没有治愈或管理策略，受感染的树木在短短5年内死亡（Singerman_and_Rogers_2020）。在美国，在过去的十年里，柑橘绿化导致佛罗里达的橙子产量减少了70%以上（USDA_2019），一箱橙子的价格将上涨3倍以上（Dala-Paula_et_al_2019）。Tropic Biosciences正在开发热带作物的高性能商业品种（包括香蕉、咖啡、大米），提高种植效率，增进消费者健康，改善可持续的环境做法。我们的方法依赖于专有/专利的尖端GE技术，并克服了基因发现的障碍。Tropic Biosciences总部位于著名的诺维奇研究园，拥有世界领先的设施，由一群经验丰富的企业家和学者于2016年创立，包括：首席执行官Gilad Gershon，经验丰富的AgTech私募股权投资者/企业家; CSO Eyal Maori博士，Beelogics的科学联合创始人，被孟山都收购（2011年）;首席技术官Ofir Meir博士，罗塞塔绿色农业化学部前负责人，2013年被孟山都收购。我们现在拥有80多名行业领先的专家团队，并已筹集了2250万英镑的B轮融资（英国农业技术领域有史以来最大的），通过对我们的新香蕉品种进行田间试验，加速我们的增长轨迹，并进一步商业化我们专有的基因组编辑诱导基因沉默（GEIGS）技术平台。GEIGS能够保护宿主免受病毒，真菌，和害虫，它不能针对细菌。该研发项目首次将我们的技术方法扩展到细菌，并与GEiGS高度互补。一个成功的项目，验证概念的实验证明（技术准备水平3）将解锁高性能抗菌热带作物品种的内部开发，抵抗新出现的细菌性植物疾病。通过向已建立的农业综合企业发放许可证，Hi-GE平台还将使非热带作物和动物的抗菌特性得以发展。

Bacterial diseases of plants and animals cause devastating damage to crops and livestock, respectively, resulting in significant global economic losses (worth multiple billions of pounds annually). With the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria threatening human health, agribusinesses are under pressure to reduce antibiotic use. Development of antibacterial resistance through gene editing(GE) shows promise, but remains limited by slow/costly gene discovery.Bacteria are one of the major pathogens causing emerging infectious plant diseases. One high-profile example is citrus greening or huanglongbing, which is recognised as the most devastating citrus disease worldwide(Dala-Paula_et_al_2019). Citrus greening affects tree health as well as fruit development, ripening, and quality. There is currently no cure or management strategy, with infected trees dying within as little as 5years(Singerman_and_Rogers_2020). In the US, over the last decade, citrus greening has caused Florida's orange production to decrease by over 70%(USDA_2019), and the price of a box of oranges to increase by over 3x(Dala-Paula_et_al_2019).Tropic Biosciences is developing high-performing commercial varieties of tropical crops (including banana, coffee, rice), which promote cultivation efficiencies, enhance consumer health, and improve sustainable environmental practices. Our approach relies on proprietary/patented cutting-edge GE technologies and has overcome the gene discovery barrier. However, our current technical approach is limited to targeting plant/viral/fungus/pest genes and cannot target bacteria.Headquartered at renowned Norwich Research Park, with access to world-leading facilities, Tropic Biosciences was founded in 2016 by a team of highly experienced entrepreneurs and academics, including: CEO Gilad Gershon, experienced AgTech private equity investor/entrepreneur; CSO Dr Eyal Maori, scientific co-founder of Beelogics, acquired by Monsanto(2011); and, CTO Dr Ofir Meir, former Head of the Agro Chemistry Division at Rosetta Green, acquired by Monsanto(2013).We now employ a team of 80+ industry-leading experts and have raised £22.5million Series B round (largest ever in the UK AgriTech sector) to accelerate our growth trajectory through field trials for our novel banana varieties and to further commercialise our proprietary Genome Editing induced Gene Silencing(GEiGS) technology platform.While GEiGS enables host protection against viruses, fungi, and pests, it cannot target bacteria. This R&D project extends our technical approach to bacteria for the first time and is highly complementary to GEiGS. A successful project, validating experimental proof of concept(technology readiness level 3) will unlock in-house development of high-performance antibacterial tropical crop varieties, resistant to emerging bacterial plant diseases. Through licensing to established agribusinesses, Hi-GE platform will also enable development of antibacterial traits in non-tropical crops and animals.