Scientists used CRISPR gene editing to create compact, bushy versions of tobacco plants that take up 45-50% less floor space while still producing the same amount of medicinal proteins — a breakthrough for growing pharmaceutical plants in indoor vertical farms.
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CRISPR knockout of strigolactone-producing genes (CCD7 or CCD8) reduced plant spatial footprint by 45–50% compared to standard lab strains.
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Recombinant protein yields per plant were maintained in mutant lines, confirmed with both GFP (a fluorescent marker) and rituximab (a therapeutic antibody used in cancer treatment).
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Gene knockouts altered the plants' hormone balance and metabolism — shifting auxin/cytokinin ratios and metabolic fluxes — without slowing overall growth rate.
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