Regulation and Metabolic Engineering of Saponins for use as bio-pesticides.

Project Information

REMES

Grant agreement ID: 752437

DOI

10.3030/752437

Project closed

EC signature date 14 March 2017

Start date 1 October 2017

End date 21 November 2019

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 212 194,80

EU contribution

€ 212 194,80

Coordinated by

KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET
Denmark

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - REMES (Regulation and Metabolic Engineering of Saponins for use as bio-pesticides.)

Reporting period: 2017-10-01 to 2019-09-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

A major problem in agriculture is the damage caused by insect pests and pathogens, and therefore there is a critical need to develop novel and sustainable methods to reduce these losses. Plants produce a vast diversity of specialized chemicals that deter antagonist, but in spite of their potential for pest management, they are still largely unexplored. We need to understand better how such defense compounds are synthesized by plants and what conditions trigger and regulate their production, in order to develop and use them sustainably. The overall objective of the REMES project was to uncover the genetic and molecular basis of the biosynthesis and regulation of triterpenoid saponins, using the insect-resistant wild crucifer Barbarea vulgaris as a model system, and explore their use as bio-pesticides. Altogether, this project aimed to improve our understanding of saponin biosynthesis and regulation, in order to develop them as sustainable solutions for agriculture and the environment.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

In this project, I successfully implemented a tissue culture and transformation protocol for the plant B. vulgaris. In addition, I set up rearing and feeding experiments using the Brassica insect pest Plutella xyllostella (choice and non-choice). The protocol for B. vulgaris transformation will allow to test relevant candidate genes for the biosynthesis and regulation of saponins for their future use as bio-pesticides. As part of my work during the project, I wrote an invited review on evolution of triterpenoids (Cardenas et al., 2019, Frontiers in Plant Science) and participated in the characterization of the saponin biosynthetic gene CYP72A552 (Qing et al., New Phytologist).

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The knowledge obtained through this project can be used as model platform for the development of future bio-pesticides. The establishment of a tissue culture and transformation protocol of B. vulgaris enable us to engineer tailored production of specialized metabolites in planta. This has the potential to improve the positioning of the EU as a leader in manufacture of future sustainable solutions for agriculture.

Biosynthesis of saponins in B. vulgaris