otsA & otsB

Pomacea canaliculata possesses a great amount of otsA and otsB. otsA and otsB are genes extracted from the DNA of microbiota of golden apple snails, Stutzerimonas stutzeri. otsA and otsB are genes encoding trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (Howells et al., 2002). otsA and otsB in the golden apple snails allow them to survive under lower temperatures. The trehalose synthesized by these proteins protect cells from crystallizing and leading to cell lysis. Trehalose is a sugar that can't form hydrogen bonds within itself, making it very good at attracting water. When an organism loses water or freezes, trehalose steps in and takes the place of water molecules by bonding with important parts of the cell, like proteins and membranes. The trehalose disrupts ice crystals from forming in the cell when temperatures are too low, reducing the freezing point of the cells. This will protect the cells from dying in cold environments (Han et al., 2024). By introducing otsA and otsB into crops through plant vaccines, we expect to help the crops tolerate and grow in colder environments, since many are extremely sensitive to temperature.

Cross-Kingdom Gene Transfer

Previous studies have shown that transferring animal genes into plants using bacterial vectors like Agrobacterium tumefaciens is feasible. Noteworthy examples include the successful introduction of human collagen into tobacco plants and spider silk protein into potatoes and tobacco (Yang et al., 2001; Zhang et al., 2020). These cases form the basis for our approach, where we use bacterial vectors to introduce animal stress proteins into crops.

Our Approach

Innovative Gene Transfer Our project aims to use synthetic biology to introduce stress-resistant proteins into crops. We selected the golden apple snail’s HSP70 due to its distinct evolutionary adaptations to extreme temperatures. Although crops and bacteria like E. coli already possess their own HSP70, the snail’s version may provide stronger protection, potentially working in synergy with the plant's natural proteins (Wang et al., 2018). Research has demonstrated that overexpressing HSP70 in plants can enhance their resistance to both biotic and abiotic stress, making it a promising option for boosting plant survival in challenging environments (Wang et al., 2004).

Prototype and Scale-Up We are starting with E. coli as the initial vector to prototype the gene transfer process. Once this proves successful, we will scale up by using Agrobacterium to infect the roots of crops, enabling them to express both the cold shock proteins OtsA and OtsB, as well as the golden apple snail’s HSP70. This approach could greatly improve the plants' resilience to extreme temperatures, enhancing both their survival and productivity (Elbein et al., 2003; Jia et al., 2021).

Current Limitations

Existing methods for enhancing crop stress tolerance, including traditional breeding and genetic modification, have their drawbacks. Drought and heat stress continue to pose major challenges, with genetic solutions often complicated by the polygenic nature of these traits (Farooq et al., 2019). Our approach aims to address these limitations by utilizing a novel cross-species gene transfer technique, enabling crops to harness stress-resistant proteins from other organisms (Yang et al., 2001; Zhang et al., 2020).

Conclusion

By transferring the golden apple snail's HSP70 and bacterial cold shock proteins into crops, we hope to strengthen plants’ ability to withstand environmental stress, paving the way for more sustainable agricultural practices. This innovative use of synthetic biology could potentially lead to new advancements in how crops cope with the impacts of climate change, ultimately contributing to improved global food security.

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