Opinion | Open Access

Volume 2020 |Article ID 8051764 | https://doi.org/10.34133/2020/8051764

Plant Biosystems Design Research Roadmap 1.0

Xiaohan Yang iD ,^1,2 June I. Medford,³ Kasey Markel,⁴ Patrick M. ShihiD ,^4,5 Henrique C. De Paoli,⁶ Cong T. Trinh,^2,7 Alistair J. McCormick,⁸ Raphael Ployet,⁹ Steven G. Hussey,⁹ Alexander A. Myburg,⁹ Poul Erik Jensen,¹⁰ Md Mahmudul Hassan,^1,2 Jin Zhang,^1,2,11 Wellington Muchero,^1,2 Udaya C. KalluriiD ,^1,2 Hengfu Yin,¹² Renying Zhuo,¹² Paul E. Abraham,^1,2 Jin-Gui Chen,^1,2 David J. Weston,^1,2 Yinong Yang,¹³ Degao Liu,¹⁴ Yi Li,¹⁵ Jessy LabbeiD ,^1,2 Bing Yang,^16,17 Jun Hyung Lee,¹ Robert W. Cottingham,¹ Stanton Martin,^1,2 Mengzhu Lu,¹¹ Timothy J. Tschaplinski,^1,2 Guoliang YuaniD ,^1,2 Haiwei LuiD ,¹ Priya Ranjan,^1,2 Julie C. Mitchell,¹ Stan D. WullschlegeriD ,¹⁸ Gerald A. Tuskan^1,2

¹Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
²The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
³Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
⁴Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
⁵Feedstocks Division, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA
⁶Department of Biodesign, Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
⁷Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
⁸SynthSys and Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
⁹Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
¹⁰Department of Food Science, University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 26, DK-1858, Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark
¹¹State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, School of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311300, China
¹²State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311400, China
¹³Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology and the Huck Institute of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
¹⁴Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, Center for Precision Plant Genomics and Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
¹⁵Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
¹⁶Division of Plant Sciences, Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
¹⁷Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO, USA
¹⁸Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA

Abstract

Human life intimately depends on plants for food, biomaterials, health, energy, and a sustainable environment. Various plants have been genetically improved mostly through breeding, along with limited modification via genetic engineering, yet they are still not able to meet the ever-increasing needs, in terms of both quantity and quality, resulting from the rapid increase in world population and expected standards of living. A step change that may address these challenges would be to expand the potential of plants using biosystems design approaches. This represents a shift in plant science research from relatively simple trial-and-error approaches to innovative strategies based on predictive models of biological systems. Plant biosystems design seeks to accelerate plant genetic improvement using genome editing and genetic circuit engineering or create novel plant systems through de novo synthesis of plant genomes. From this perspective, we present a comprehensive roadmap of plant biosystems design covering theories, principles, and technical methods, along with potential applications in basic and applied plant biology research. We highlight current challenges, future opportunities, and research priorities, along with a framework for international collaboration, towards rapid advancement of this emerging interdisciplinary area of research. Finally, we discuss the importance of social responsibility in utilizing plant biosystems design and suggest strategies for improving public perception, trust, and acceptance.