Using Firefly DNA to Better Understand Hemp and Cannabis
Apr 17th 2024
As we know, the main components of cannabis and hemp that offer the physical and mental affects associated with the plant are the cannabinoids. These cannabinoids are produced in the tiny, clear protrusions on the surface of the flowers and leaves called trichomes. However, beyond this, scientists don't really know much about how cannabinoid biosynthesis is controlled.
To address this gap in knowledge, the National Research Initiative from the U.S. Department of Agriculture has granted funding to a team of researchers from the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources. Yi Ma and Gerry Berkowitz, research assistant professor and professor respectively, will begin a study that aims "to discover the underlying molecular mechanisms behind trichrome development and cannabinoid synthesis."
The two, in addition to former graduate students, Samuel Haiden and Peter Apicella, discovered certain "transcription factors" - molecules that determine if a piece of an organism’s DNA will be transcribed into RNA - that are responsible for trichome production and cannabinoid synthesis. These transcription factors cause cells on the flowers to transform into trichomes.
The next part of the study is where it gets really interesting!
The researchers will clone the part of the DNA that transcription factors bind to, called "promoters," and will take the cloned promoters and insert them into the cells of a model plant along with a copy of firefly luciferase - the gene that makes fireflies light up. The luciferase will fuse to the cannabis promoter, and when activated by a signal, will emit light!
"It’s a nifty way to evaluate signals that orchestrate cannabinoid synthesis and trichome development," stated Berkowitz.
Using a tool called a luminometer, the team will measure how much light comes from each sample. This will show the researchers if the promoters they're looking at are controlled by the transcription factors that increase trichome development, and if the promoters respond to hormonal signals.
The results of this study could prove incredibly beneficial for hemp farmers! Because legal hemp cannot exceed 0.3% THC, having a better understanding of how the plant synthesizes this cannabinoid could lead to growers being able to selectively remove the enzyme that causes THC production. This would allow growers to easily produce plants will very little to no THC.
On the other side, this research could also help growers create plants that produce more THC (or any desired cannabinoid) by inserting the enzyme responsible for a specific cannabinoid's synthesis - giving the growers a more controlled and more profitable harvest.
"We envision that the fundamental knowledge obtained can be translated into novel genetic tools and strategies to improve the cannabinoid profile, aid hemp farmers with the common problem of overproducing THC, and benefit human health," explains the research team.
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