A Chicago biotech start-up scored its first major deal Tuesday when Monsanto Co. agreed to a research partnership to genetically engineer crops like corn or soybeans more quickly than by using standard technology.
Chromatin's gene-stacking technology creates artificial chromosomes that enable scientists to insert up to a dozen genes into plants at one time. The technology could be used to make plants more attractive sources for ethanol, or tailor strains of corn and other food crops grown in developing countries to adapt to harsh local conditions.
As the biggest producer of genetically engineered seed, St. Louis-based Monsanto is increasingly focused on producing "stacked" crops that have multiple patented genes.
Current genetic-modification techniques allow scientists to only insert one or two genes at a time in a plant, making it difficult to engineer multiple traits into a plant quickly.
Chromatin's technology was developed by Daphne Preuss, a University of Chicago biology professor, in research with weeds. Preuss, who is on leave from the U. of C., is president and chief scientific officer at Chromatin.
For several years, the firm has worked to demonstrate that its technology could be transferred to commercial crops such as corn.
"We've done a lot of work in greenhouses with corn," Preuss said. "Now Monsanto can apply this technology to its favorite plant varieties, doing research in greenhouses and in the field under real-world conditions."
Chromatin's non-exclusive, 3-year partnership with Monsanto covers research into manipulating genes in corn, cotton, soybeans and canola. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Chromatin retains the right to broadly license its technology to other companies, and both companies agreed the 3-year deal could be extended.
"Monsanto's crop and trait development capabilities make them an ideal partner for advancing Chromatin's gene-stacking technology," Preuss said.
Monsanto, for example, could introduce traits such as drought resistance into plants already engineered to tolerate its Roundup herbicide.
"By coupling Chromatin's unique technology with our in-house resources, we believe we'll be able to deliver high-value trait stacks faster and more efficiently," said Monsanto's chief technology officer, Robert Fraley.
One advantage Monsanto gets from the deal is an early start in using Chromatin's technology. Chromatin's executives hope this may spur interest among other large seed companies in licensing the technology.
"This is a significant milestone for a technology that has come a long way since its development at the university," said Alan Thomas, director of intellectual property at the University of Chicago. "We hope this is the first of many such announcements." ---------- jvan@tribune.com
