gene-activation
Gene activation refers to the processes by which cells switch on the expression of specific genes, increasing the production of particular proteins or functional RNA molecules in response to developmental cues or environmental signals. In plant science, understanding gene activation is essential for deciphering how plants regulate growth, flowering, stress responses, and metabolite production. Researchers harness this knowledge to engineer crops with improved traits by precisely controlling which genes are turned on, when, and in which tissues.
open_in_new WikipediaPubMed · 2026-04-08
Scientists developed a faster, cheaper way to test gene-editing tools in tomato plants, cutting the validation time to about 30 days. Using a soil bacterium, they activated tomato genes involved in fat production and successfully increased a specific fatty acid (palmitic acid) by up to 45%.
The system validated gene-editing tool efficiency in tomato roots in approximately 30 days, compared to the months or years required for stable plant transformation.
Palmitic acid levels increased by up to 45% when fatty acid biosynthesis genes (SlFATA, SlFATB-01, SlFATB-02, SlFATB-03) were activated.
Using a root-specific promoter (pSMB) confined genetic activation to root tissue, preventing unintended effects on the rest of the plant.
