Novel opium poppy and hemp varieties for the production of industrial and pharmaceutical bioproducts

尽管人们越来越认识到作物多样化对于加拿大农业的长期可持续性和成功的重要性，但几乎没有种植植物来生产高价值的代谢物生物制品。世界上最重要的两种天然产品生产植物是罂粟(罂粟)和大麻(大麻)，罂粟(罂粟)积累了吗啡、可待因和茶碱的生物碱，大麻(大麻)生产具有精神活性的大麻素，被用作高质量纤维和油的来源。可待因、吗啡和羟考酮的国内市场每年超过1亿美元，目前都是进口的。加拿大拥有成熟的研究能力，可以支持为生产有价值的生物制品而种植的新作物的发展，如药品和纤维。与Prairie Plants Systems，Inc.(PPS)合作，我们将建立基因组资源、基于超高效液相色谱-串联质谱仪(UPLC-MS/MS)的最先进的代谢组学技术，以及基于罂粟和大麻的诱变和TILLING(靶向诱导的局部损伤基因组)的有效功能基因组学倡议。该项目的目的是确定用于罂粟代谢工程的生物合成基因，以积累高价值的药用生物碱，并阻止大麻中的大麻素生产。后者将允许种植安全、合法的加拿大制造的大麻作物，用于纤维、石油和食品用途。与PPS的伙伴关系至关重要，因为该公司经营着一个高度安全的地下植物种植设施，获得了种植罂粟和大麻的许可。该项目将与NRC植物生物技术研究所(PBI)和艾伯塔省研究委员会(ARC)合作进行，这两个研究所拥有必要的仪器和专业知识。首席调查员分别是罂粟科和大麻科生物合成生物碱和大麻类化合物的世界权威机构。这项研究将带来与加拿大工农业相关的新种质和知识产权。

Despite an increased awareness of the importance of crop diversification for the long-term sustainability and success of agriculture in Canada, few plants are cultivated for the production of high-value, metabolite-based bioproducts. Two of the world's most important natural product-producing plants are Papaver somniferum (opium poppy), which accumulates the alkaloids morphine, codeine and thebaine, and Cannabis sativa (marijuana, hemp), which produces psychoactive cannabinoids and is used as a source of high-quality fiber and oil. The domestic market for codeine, morphine and oxycodone, which is derived from thebaine, is in excess of $100 million annually, all of which is currently imported. Canada has a well-established research capacity to support the development of new crops cultivated for the production of valuable bioproducts, such as Pharmaceuticals and fibers. In partnership with Prairie Plant Systems, Inc., (PPS) we will establish genomics resources, state-of-the-art metabolomics technology, based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), and an effective functional genomics initiative, based on induced mutagenesis and TILLING (Targeting Induced Local Lesions IN Genomes) for opium poppy and cannabis. This project will aim to identify biosynthetic genes for use in the metabolic engineering of opium poppy to accumulate high-value pharmaceutical alkaloids and to block cannabinoid production in cannabis. The latter will allow for a safe, legal, made-in-Canada cannabis crop to be grown for fibre, oil and food use. The partnership with PPS is crucial since this corporation operates a highly secure, underground plant growth facility licensed for the cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis. The project will be conducted in collaboration with the NRC Plant Biotechnology Institute (PBI) and the Alberta Research Council (ARC), which have the required instrumentation and expertise. The principle investigators are the world authorities on the biosynthesis of alkaloids and cannabinoids in the Papaveraceae and Cannabaceae, respectively. This research will lead to novel germplasm and intellectual property relevant to Canadian industry and agriculture.