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Gene-editing technology
-Original platform applicable to various crops and varieties
Gene-editing is one of the solutions for rapid breeding.
At GRA&GREEN, we develop new seeds using our proprietary crop gene-editing platform.
What is gene editing?
It is a method to cut the target site of the gene.
Genes are damaged and cut every day in nature. It is said that the probability of gene change as a result of this cleavage is 1 in 100,000 or 1 in 1,000,000. Although breeders have used radiation or chemicals to increase the mutation frequency, it was completely uncontrollable where the cutting occurs and which gene changes.
Gene editing is an epoch-making technique that can cut the targeted location of a gene. As a result, changes occur in the cut site, which leads to new varieties.
Advantages of gene editing
-Advantages of gene-editing technology
Improve only specific properties while retaining excellent traits
Desired characteristics of the original crop can be preserved because it is possible to pinpoint the specific gene that is targeted.
Can be produced in a short period
New varieties can be created in a short period (1-3 years) compared to conventional breeding (5-10 years). We can aim at the shortest approach to improve and determine the elements required for improvement.
Aggregation of excellent traits
We can add more improvements while leaving the desired parts of the valuable varieties.
-Practical issues of gene-editing technology
There are few crop varieties that can be targeted
Since the delivery technology (technology for introducing gene-editing tools into plants) has yet to be matured, it is often impossible to directly gene-edit commercial varieties.
Patents issues
Since patents and rights related to gene-editing tools (restriction enzyme) are complicated, there are hurdles to use commercially.
It is challenging to identify the gene to edit
It is often hard to determine which gene to edit.
Core technology
GRA&GREEN provides three technology as unique solutions to meet the challenges of practical issues.
General-purpose delivery technology "gene App™"
Unique high-efficiency delivery technology applicable to various commercial varieties of various plant species. The conventional Agrobacterium method takes time to find the suitable conditions for tissue culture and shoot regeneration for each target variety. Since gene App ™ does not involve genetic recombination and does not require tissue culture, it is possible to perform gene-editing efficiently and faster than conventional technology. (Patent pending)
Original gene-editing kit "3GE(triple GE)™"
Until now, gene-editing tools (restriction enzyme) and vectors expressing enzymes have not been optimized for crops. 3GE ™ enables highly efficient gene-editing by uniquely modified gene-editing tools and expression vectors for plant cells. (Patent pending)
Genomics
Our team members are experts in plant science and/or plant breeding, and they have ample experience. We utilize next-generation sequencers (NGS) that determine the base sequence of DNA quickly and accurately, our own data analysis, and networks to identify target genes.
Inter-family grafting technology "iPAG"
"iPAG" is a technology discovered by Associate Professor Notaguchi Nagoya University that enables the grafting of entirely different plants (different families) through the Tobacco plants.
It is revolutionary because it enables the grafting of different families (e.g., grafting legume roots (rootstocks) and tomatoes), which was previously impossible. The finding may lead to cultivation in areas now unsuitable for crops.
At GRA&GREEN, we are conducting research and development toward the practical application of "iPAG" in collaboration with Nagoya University and private companies.
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