title: Plant artificial chromosome technology and its potential application in genetic engineering.
abstract: Genetic engineering with just a few genes has changed agriculture in the last 20 years. The most frequently used transgenes are the herbicide resistance genes for efficient weed control and the Bt toxin genes for insect resistance. The adoption of the first-generation genetically engineered crops has been very successful in improving farming practices, reducing the application of pesticides that are harmful to both human health and the environment, and producing more profit for farmers. However, there is more potential for genetic engineering to be realized by technical advances. The recent development of plant artificial chromosome technology provides a super vector platform, which allows the management of a large number of genes for the next generation of genetic engineering. With the development of other tools such as gene assembly, genome editing, gene targeting and chromosome delivery systems, it should become possible to engineer crops with multiple genes to produce more agricultural products with less input of natural resources to meet future demands.
authors.affiliation: Shenzhen Research Institute, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China.
authors.forename: Weichang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural Sciences, Northeastern State University, Broken Arrow, OK, USA.
authors.forename: Yuan-Yeu
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Yau
authors.affiliation: Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Birchler
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D022201:Chromosomes, Artificial; D018556:Crops, Agricultural; D005818:Genetic Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D053209:Herbicide Resistance / Q000235:genetics; D010944:Plants / Q000235:genetics*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D019076:Transgenes
keywords: food security; gene stacking; genetic engineering; plant artificial chromosome; sustainable agriculture