Chapter 16
The Role ofAgrobacterium-Mediated
and Other Gene-Transfer Technologies
in Cannabis Research and Product
Development
Mistianne Feeney and Zamir K. Punja
Abstract Cannabis sativais a multi-use crop valued for its pharmacological
properties and as afibre and seed crop. Biotechnological applications toward
Cannabis research and product development are still in their early stages. An
important feature of biotechnology is the collection of gene transfer technologies
that are used to introduce genetic material into host organisms.Agrobacterium
tumefaciensand A. rhizogenesrepresent the most common vectors to transfer
genetic material into plant cells. Stable and transient gene expression can be
achieved usingA. tumefacienswhileA. rhizogenesgenerates stable transformed
hairy roots. Cannabis is amenable to genetic transformation using both
Agrobacteriumvectors, however the plant is recalcitrant to regeneration, impeding
the recovery of transgenic Cannabis plants. Despite this shortcoming, the cannabi-
noid pathway is currently attracting considerable attention from the biotechnology
community. Gene transfer technologies have assisted with the characterization of the
cannabinoid pathway leading to the synthesis of THCA, the psychoactive compound
that is highly valued as a therapeutic. Elucidation of the cannabinoid pathway has led
to its metabolic engineering in heterologous hosts. The yeastPichia pastorishas
proven to be a particularly suitable host for the production of cannabinoids.
Recently, biotechnology companies have emerged that anticipate commercializing
cannabinoid-based drugs in yeast and tobacco and to produce hemp cultivars with
the cannabinoid pathway down-regulated or completely knocked out.
M. Feeney
School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
e-mail: [email protected]
Z.K. Punja (&)
Department of Biological Sciences, Plant Pathology and Biotechnology,
Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
e-mail: [email protected]
©Springer International Publishing AG 2017
S. Chandra et al. (eds.), Cannabis sativaL. - Botany and Biotechnology,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-54564-6_16
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