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加拿大农业的长期可持续性和成功的重要性，但很少种植用于生产高价值、基于代谢物的生物产品的植物。世界上最重要的两种天然产品生产植物是罂粟（Papaver somniferum）和大麻（Cannabis sativa），前者能积累吗啡、可待因和吗啡等生物碱，后者能产生具有精神活性的大麻素，被用作高质量纤维和油的来源。从海洛因提取的可待因、吗啡和羟考酮的国内市场每年超过1亿美元，目前所有这些都是进口的。加拿大拥有完善的研究能力，支持开发用于生产有价值的生物产品（如药品和纤维）的新作物。通过与Prairie Plant Systems， Inc. （PPS）合作，我们将建立基因组学资源，基于超高效液相色谱串联质谱（UPLC-MS/MS）的最先进代谢组学技术，以及基于诱导诱变和TILLING（靶向诱导局部病变基因组）的有效功能基因组学计划，用于罂粟和大麻。该项目旨在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断大麻素的产生。后者将允许一种安全、合法、在加拿大制造的大麻作物种植，用于纤维、油和食品用途。与PPS的合作至关重要，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）和阿尔伯塔省研究委员会（ARC）合作进行，他们拥有所需的仪器和专业知识。主要研究者分别是罂粟科和大麻科生物碱和大麻素生物合成的世界权威。这项研究将导致与加拿大工业和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.