Biologic and Genetic Marking - Memogene

Category

Agriculture, Biotechnology

Keywords

Gene Editing, Plants , Viral, Virus, Delivery System, Platform CRISPR/Cas compatible guide RNAs, Zinc finger nucleases, Mega nucleases

Current development stage

General list: TRL9 Actual system proven in operational environment

Collaboration Opportunity

Licensing of Technology

Research Services

Background

Today's traditional plant breeding techniques (plant cross breeding, mutagenesis and genetic engineering) are labor-intensive, expensive and time-consuming. A high throughput system for genome editing would enable fast screening of a plethora of targets, with reduced time and labor costs. MemoGene™ is a novel high throughput genome breeding technology which bypasses traditional biotechnological barriers.

Our Innovation

Memogene is a proprietary high throughput genome editing delivery system for CRISPR/Cas compatible guide RNAs, or molecular nucleases (Zinc finger nucleases, Mega nucleases). MemoGene™ enables the production of tailor-made plant varieties with new traits, while also allowing for the deletion of negative and unwanted characteristics, thus increasing the value of agricultural and horticultural products.

• High throughput gene mutagenesis
• High throughput gene/trait validation
• Proven in multiple crops and is not variety/species/genus-specific
• Transient, in planta – no regeneration, non GMO developed in several crops
• Efficient expression in planta and in protoplasts

Technology

The MemoGene takes advantage of a novel Tobacco rattle virus (TRV)-based expression system, which is capable of systemically infecting its host, either protoplasts or spreading into a variety of plant tissues via plants cells. The viral carrier system carries nucleases as its payload and is used here for gene editing - creating permanent, inheritable and site-specific gene modification. The viral carrier system can also be used for highly efficient and rapid gene/trait validation.

Opportunity

• This technology can be licensed to interested parties in a varieties of fields
• The researcher can also offer Research Services to interested parties

Patent

PLANT VIRAL EXPRESSION VECTORS AND USE OF SAME FOR GENERATING GENOTYPIC VARIATIONS IN PLANT GENOMES - WO2009/130695

GENERATING GENOTYPIC VARIATIONS IN PLANT GENOMES BY GAMETE INFECTION - WO2011/048600

Scientific Articles

Transient Expression of Virally Delivered Meganuclease In Planta Generates Inherited Genomic Deletions et al 2015https://www.cell.com/molecular-plant/supplemental/S1674-2052(15)00198-7

Genome modifications in plant cells by custom-made restriction enzymes et al 2012

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1467-7652.2011.00672.x

Nontransgenic Genome Modification in Plant Cells et al 2010http://www.plantphysiol.org/content/154/3/1079.long

Project manager

Ilya Pittel
VP, BD AGTECH, FOODTECH, VETERINARY & ENVIRONMENT

Project researchers

Alexander (Sasha) Vainstein
HUJI, Faculty of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Quality Sciences
Plant Sciences and Genetics