Electrosynthesis - the end of agriculture as we know it?

[Moreno]

Some microorganisms are claimed to be capable survive without light and instead use pure electric current to reduce CO2.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microbial_electrosynthesis

If scientists will use genetic modification to make plants to have the same ability someday, will it mean the end of agriculture as we know it? All kind of plants could be grown in a watts supplied by nutrients and there will be no more need for a farmland, agricultural machinery and pesticides? Not a bad deal...

 

Is it also possible to use genetic modification to make all plants be capable to fix nitrogen from air and have no more need for nitrogen fertilizers?

Edited February 6, 2016 by Moreno

[CharonY]

Organisms cannot break down CO2. They can however fix it, which I assume is what you mean. It basically only works on bacteria as they are most flexible in use of reducing equivalents (and their ability to dump them) and maybe some unicellular organisms. Overall it is not clear that it has any benefits, as photosynthetic can utilize sunlight.

 

Nitrogen fixation is another thing entirely and while there are bacteria able to do so, we are unable to confer this ability to non-fixing bacteria via genetic modification.

[Moreno]

Organisms cannot break down CO2. They can however fix it, which I assume is what you mean. It basically only works on bacteria as they are most flexible in use of reducing equivalents (and their ability to dump them) and maybe some unicellular organisms. Overall it is not clear that it has any benefits, as photosynthetic can utilize sunlight.

 

Nitrogen fixation is another thing entirely and while there are bacteria able to do so, we are unable to confer this ability to non-fixing bacteria via genetic modification.

Currently gene engineers can transfer genes from one organism to another, it seems. So, why can't they transfer genes which are responsible for electrosynthesis or nitrogen fixation to any other plants? Or at least to breed such kind of those bacteriums which live in a perfect symbiosis with any other plants?

Edited February 6, 2016 by Moreno

[CharonY]

Because in order for a system to work it is not enough to just have the genes. They have to assemble protein apparatus, localize it properly and regulate their expression and integrate it into the existing metabolic background. It is incredibly tricky to confer anything that is somewhat more complicated (i.e. more than a handful steps).

[Moreno]

Because in order for a system to work it is not enough to just have the genes. They have to assemble protein apparatus, localize it properly and regulate their expression and integrate it into the existing metabolic background. It is incredibly tricky to confer anything that is somewhat more complicated (i.e. more than a handful steps).

When a plant is making its first steps growing from a seed it can grow without Sun isn't it? It grows because there is some reserve of nutrients in a seed. If this is so, then I have no difficulty to imagine a symbiosis of electrosynthetic bacterium which uses electric current as an energy source and provide ready nutrients to the plants. Well, I didn't say it's going to be easy, but if they created cubic watermelons, never-rotten strawberries and pigs glowing in the dark...

 

 

 

Edited February 6, 2016 by Moreno

[CharonY]

A) The glow is due to a single protein (GFP). Much easier than actually having metabolic activities.

B) melons are grown in a square mold. Has nothing to do with genetics.

C) There is nothing that "never rots". They can be more resistant to mold, freezing or other things though. Also typically conferred by a single protein.

 

Modifying organisms to exhibit specific phenotypes is much harder than you imagine and we have still huge knowledge gaps to deal with.

[overtone]

 

 

Nitrogen fixation is another thing entirely and while there are bacteria able to do so, we are unable to confer this ability to non-fixing bacteria via genetic modification.

More promisingly, it might be possible to genetically engineer certain plants (maize, most alluringly) for symbiosis with nitrogen fixing bacteria, and this is currently being investigated. The GM would be in the plants, probably, rather than the bacterium.

 

It's not going to be easy. http://aob.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2013/03/08/aob.mct048.full

[CharonY]

Actually there are already diaxotrophs associated with maize. It is not a strong symbiotic relationship as with rhizobia and legumes, but moderate production increase can be seen in some cases. How to establish these relationships is still the holy grail of nitrogen fixation researchers.

[Moreno]

I think another interesting possibility is to use GM or selection to create plants which would resemble animal's meat by chemical composition very closely. Soy already contains all amino acids necessary for humans. The problem is their proportion to weight. If everything would be possible with GM help, ultimately a plants could be created which are indistinguishable from delicious smoked meat of animals. Both by taste and basic chemical composition. Or juice of plants which is indistinguishable from milk. No need for herding...