Biotech Updates

Bayer and Precision Biosciences Develop Site-Specific Insertion Technique for Cotton Research

October 14, 2011

Bayer CropScience AG and Precision BioSciences Inc. have been able to successfully insert a gene into a specific desired location in cotton using Precision's Directed Nuclease Editor(TM) (DNE) technology. This site-specific insertion using an engineered nuclease in cotton is said to be the first of its kind.

Crop researchers will be able to use this technique to delete, insert, or modify genes at user-defined sites within plant genomes. The approach reduces time required to produce a new plant characteristic and remove complexities associated with current product development methods.

"This technology milestone is a world first and delivers enormous capacity for Bayer to precisely target and more efficiently deliver significant benefits in key crops to farmers globally. And this is just the beginning," said Dr Johan Botterman, Head of BioScience Product Research at Bayer CropScience.

See the news at http://www.marketwatch.com/story/bayer-cropscience-and-precision-biosciences-successful-insertion-of-transgene-into-a-specific-desired-location-in-cotton-2011-10-04.