Until now, some genetically modified plants were too complex or expensive to build. A new Saskatoon company is creating the breeding tools to overcome the problem and hopes to grow itself along with some new crops.
Most GM technology is limited by its ability to transfer a single trait to an organism in a single procedure.
The tools that carry the new genetic information are too small to transport large genetic packages into a cell.
For example, yield improvement can be added, but not a trait that produces an enzyme used in pharmaceutical production. The pair of genes producing those traits would be too large to handle.
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In another example, complex protein-producing gene used in creating industrial chemicals can’t be introduced to a plant’s chromosome because it is too big to physically transfer using current technology.
Agrisoma Biosciences Inc. says it has found a way to first add the new genes to specialized chromosomes and then piggyback them onto a cell.
This is done without removing or adding individual genes and recombining the cell. Agrisoma simply adds on, creating plant cell cultures that will be used by breeders and developers as shortcuts in their breeding programs.
The goal will be to allow plant breeders to create new “value-added plants from which can be extracted products for biopharmaceuticals or industrial protein products for use in detergents and other industrial chemicals more easily,” said Peter McCann, president of Ag-West Biotech Inc. of Saskatoon.
“This creates new crops for Western Canada’s farmers and new techniques and tools for plant breeders.”
Tom Mamic is Agrisoma’s vice-president of finance.
“The existing vectors (the carriers of the new genes) used in genetic transfers in plants and animals are very small,” he said.
“They can only carry in a small genetic payload. Once there, they have to reside on an existing host chromosome. We create our own chromosome. Therefore, it doesn’t interfere with the cell’s normal function. It is an addition.”
Chromos Molecular Systems of Burnaby, B.C., has the largest financial stake in Agrisoma. Other investors include venture capital funder Medinova, which is affiliated with University Medical Discoveries Inc., and the Business Development Bank of Canada.
Chromos spent more than $1.5 million developing the scientific proof of the concept and will get a further $200,000 from Saskatoon’s Ag-West Biotech to help it locate on Prairies.
“We will be taking advantage of being able to set up shop at the new Plant Biotechnology Centre’s facility on (the University of Saskatchewan) campus,” Mamic said.
“We will be able to use their facilities and take advantage of having technicians and being able to collaborate with other research scientists.”
Mamic said his company likely wouldn’t have settled in Saskatoon without Ag-West’s investment.
“The site is ideal for the research we are doing, but it still takes investment from a lot of sources to make it happen.”
McCann said investments like the one in Agrisoma are what Saskatoon’s research sector is built on and the reason his organization exists.
“We link government money with researchers and businesses. That is what we have done here and where the investment in Agrisoma comes from.”
Mamic said Agrisoma will measure its success by the demand for development licences for its technology.
“We are creating the techniques and the tools that other biotech companies can use to build the genetics they need.”
He said in the first two years he expects to begin research collaborations with other companies to share costs.
Over time, the company will “increase that relationship to level-two deals where they will subsidize a lot of your research costs and you make agreements to license technology. Once the technology is fully established, then you make the really big deals for exclusive licensing or for a non-exclusive deal that pays us royalties.”
He said links with existing biotech companies will increase legitimacy of the research, increase share value and enable expansion.
“Way down the road we’d like to be involved, or making our own products. But that is long, long term.”
