Driven by food security concerns and the rapidly increasing demand for food and feed, the genetic intensification in modern agriculture, supported by advanced breeding techniques, has narrowed the focus on farm productivity, with emphasis on crop yield and resilience to environmental stresses. The unintended consequence of this practice is a food system in modern economies that has lost much of its nutritional density and health benefits. The emergence of genome editing as a powerful tool for precise genetic modifications, down to the nucleotide level, ushers an era of hope that promises to help reverse course, by reintroducing consumer-driven traits into existing commercial varieties without compromising on farm productivity. Current genome editing technologies remain however both inefficient and inaccessible to the masses, prompting the need for alternative, and potentially more efficient technology options. Benson Hill Biosystems has developed and fully validated a large portfolio of Type V CRISPR nucleases, distinct from the existing Type II CRISPR-Cas9, and is actively partnering them with a large network of partner companies from around the world and across the food value chain. This portfolio includes a novel group of nucleases classified as CRISPR-Cas12f and known as Cms1. Multiple cell-based assays have been developed and have helped accelerate the optimization of editing efficiencies of key nucleases. Implementation of these tools in a commercial product development pipeline and their potential application in building a balanced food system that offers sustainable, healthier and more nutritious food choices will be reviewed.

Rise of new CRISPR technologies and their potential to reverse the loss of nutritional and health benefits in the modern food system, caused by decades of intensive breeding

2019 Fall National Meeting

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.