Lesson 3

"Biotechnology“
This word means the application of science and engineering in

the direct or indirect use of living organisms or parts of these
(also products of living organisms) in their natural or modified
forms.
This term is very broad and includes the use of traditional or
conventional breeding, as well as more modern techniques
such as genetic engineering.
"Modern biotechnology"
It is used to distinguish newer applications of biotechnology, such as genetic engineering and

cell fusion from more conventional methods such as breeding, or vegetative propagation. Most
often the term "biotechnology" is used interchangeably with "modern biotechnology".
"Conventional breeding“ means propagating plants or animals sexually, selecting for certain
traits. Using selective cross-breeding, people can produce different varieties of plants and
breeds of animals.
“Vegetative propagation” means to use a part of a plant to reproduce it without genetic

modification.
In tree biotechnology the current use of modern biotechnology is reduced with respect to other
sectors.
The Birth of modern
Biotech: The 1970's
In 1973 Boyer and Cohen created the first recombinant DNA organism
using recombinant DNA technology, which allows the manipulation of DNA.
They demonstrated that a gene coming from frog ribosomal RNA could be
transferred into bacterial cells and expressed by them.
Using restriction enzymes, they cut the DNA at precise positions and then
recombined the DNA strands in their own way using DNA ligase
enzyme. They then inserted the altered DNA into E. coli bacteria. The
bacterial cells could be made to produce specific proteins, by using gene
splicing*. This technology was a major breakthrough for genetic
engineering.
* Optional material will be put on Moodle for the students who need to better understand this technology.
The Birth of Modern Biotech: The 1970's
Scientists predicted:
• that there would be a plethora of future application
that would follow.
• that the lives of humanity would be changed.
Until today there have been many outcomes

including: production of protein-based therapies and
vaccines that treat human and animal diseases;
enzymes that are used as industrial products and in
fermentation of food and drinks, improved varieties
of crop, and new ways of producing biofuels and
other bioproducts.
The Birth of Modern Biotech: The 1970's
The results of investments made in science and
technology in the 1970s and 1980s were evident in
1990s and in the first decade of the new millennium,
including in agriculture and forestry.
For example, investments made in maize genetics and

breeding led to superior hybrids and elite germplasm
used for subsequent improvement with genetic
engineering (GE), and
Agrobacterium tumefaciens studies allow the
development of transgenic plants.
The need of a model plant
How to be a model plant for biotech?

• A small plant with a small genome
•A plant with a fast life cycle
•An easily tranformed plant
•A plant with wide natural distribution
These features have been found in Arabidopsis thaliana
It is an annual plant and in 1980 molecular biologists discovered that it has the most small genome inside the plant
kingdom. Nevertheless, A. thaliana maintain its complexity and provides the same functions of the other annual plants.
In addition:
• it is very easy to transform this plant, by using A. tumefaciens;
•it presents a very wide geographical distribution with different ecological adaptations.
In 2001 Taylor stated that more than 7,000 researchers had

used Arabidopsis thaliana as an experimental system.
BUT
Is this plant a good model also for tree species?

What are the main morphological differences between trees/shrubs and herbaceous plants?
What are the main physiological differences between trees/shrubs and herbaceous plants?
What are the main genetic differences between trees/shrubs and herbaceous plants?
What type of selection has humanity used since the origins of agriculture and forestry
with regard to herbaceous plants and trees?
In 2001 Taylor stated that more than 7000 researchers had
used Arabidopsis thaliana as an experimental system.
Is this plant a good model also for tree species?
PROS CONS
• the first plant to be completely •No secondary wood production

sequenced
•No long living organism
•a lot of available information on
genes regulation that could be •No dormancy period
useful in studying or changing
some undesirable traits of the •Less crown complexity and
trees (i.e. flowering in an interaction with environment (bud
advanced age) burst and bud set time)
(see www.rmtrr.org/oldlist.htm)
Pollino National Park, Italy Piovesan et al. 2018
Poplars - model plants for trees
In poplars flowering is relatively early respect to other woody plants: 6-10 years
Poplars are very important from economical point of view for wood and pulp
production, bioenergy, and phytoremediation.
From G. Taylor,
Poplars - model plants for trees
Now, Yes
From dissertation of Hirofumi Ishihara (2007). Analysis of two single trait loci
affecting flavonol glycoside accumulations in Arabidopsis thaliana natural variations
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/36449375_Analysis_of_two_single_trait_loci_affecting_flavonol_glycoside_accumulations_in_Arabidopsis_thaliana_natural_variations#fullTextFileContent
Future perspectives: post-model era
The knowledge and data accumulated for model species
must be transferred to the field.
Next-gen sequencing is already providing the basis for such a
change, and gradually making the concept of “model”
obsolete. Due to the ease with which primary sequence
information can be acquired, biology is heading into a “post-
modelian” era.
No longer are ideas of how plants operate dependent on a
few convenient but often inappropriate “model” systems.
Now, each species, genotype, or ecotype can serve as a
model.
(Dassanayake et al., 2012 - The scope of things to come: new
paradigms in biotechnology)

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"Biotechnology“

This word means the application of science and engineering in

It is used to distinguish newer applications of biotechnology, such as genetic engineering and

“Vegetative propagation” means to use a part of a plant to reproduce it without genetic

Until today there have been many outcomes

For example, investments made in maize genetics and

How to be a model plant for biotech?

In 2001 Taylor stated that more than 7,000 researchers had

Is this plant a good model also for tree species?

• the first plant to be completely •No secondary wood production

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