PubMed · 2026-05-14
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.
CRISPR knockout of strigolactone-producing genes (CCD7 or CCD8) reduced plant spatial footprint by 45–50% compared to standard lab strains.
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).
Gene knockouts altered the plants' hormone balance and metabolism — shifting auxin/cytokinin ratios and metabolic fluxes — without slowing overall growth rate.
