MossTech

MossTech will expand the tools for green biotechnology. By using the simplest land plants, the mosses, MossTech will develop new green cell factories for the production of proteins, lipids and fine chemicals.

Through training of 6 highly qualified PhD students (ESR) in modern biotechnology MossTech will secure new tools to the fast increasing field of Plant Synthetic Biology. Our focus is on expanding the use of green cells in biotechnological applications.

The consortium of three universities, one research institution and four companies together provides a strong background for training in scientific and transferable skills.

We have chosen mosses, since these are structurally simple plants, but have a high degree of chemical complexity, and are thus a rich source for novel biosynthetic genes and pathways. Mosses in Northern Europe are adapted for high growth rates at low temperatures and long days, which are ideal properties for competitive biotechnological production.

The species and chemical diversity in Northern European mosses are very high; we will to look for novel sources for valuable lipids, terpenoids and other chemicals. We will study the lipid and terpenoid metabolism in mosses with the aim of establishing novel production lines for the industrial partners in the project.

Additionally, we will provide at least 8-13 new mosses that can be used in biotechnological research and production, along with novel transformation technologies. Overall, this will allow us to understand complex biochemical routes leading to alternative regulation of such pathways and will provide competitive production of fine chemicals.