Canberra, Friday 14 December 2001

World first: Scientists create plant to grow on Mars

Scientists at The Australian National University have developed a plant that could help transform Mars from a barren red planet to a green oasis. The genetically modified plant would be able to survive in the low-oxygen high-carbon dioxide Martian atmosphere.

Professor John Andrews and Dr Spencer Whitney from the ANU Research School of Biological Sciences (RSBS) have led the first team to successfully replace a key enzyme of photosynthesis that converts carbon dioxide to plant sugar.

Professor Andrews said they had genetically inserted a bacterial version of Rubisco, which is able to operate in an atmosphere much like that on Mars. But the researchers have a more down-to-earth reason for their research. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences last week, was done to show plants could be modified to grow better in future possible Earth conditions caused by the greenhouse effect.

Professor Andrews said if they could insert a more efficient form of Rubisco, they would create plants that grow better with less water and fertiliser. The Rubisco gene is found in three major forms - bacterial, red and green. Only green Rubisco is found in plants, however Professor Andrews said red Rubisco, normally found in red seaweed, had evolved faster and was more suited to present and future conditions. Current climate predictions indicate the planet is likely to be hotter and richer in carbon dioxide in decades to come.

"Red Rubisco is better suited to these conditions as it is like a highly tuned economical sports car able to run on low inputs. Whereas green Rubisco is like a petrol guzzling and inefficient V8," Professor Andrews said.

Dr Whitney said they had initially chosen the bacterial form to work on because it was relatively simple. "We used it to prove that we had the concepts and techniques right," he said.

The major challenge the researchers face in creating plants with red Rubisco is their ability to make it function in plant cells. "By the time we have sorted out this issue there shouldn't be any impediments to making all the major crop plants more efficient and suited to greenhouse conditions," Prof Andrews said.

Contacts for Friday AM only: Prof. John Andrews 6125 5072 or 6249 6313 or 0413 481 397 or Dr Spencer Whitney 6125 5073 from the ANU Research School of Biological Sciences. Sean Daly, ANU Reporter is also available on 6125 4171 or 0416 249 100

105/2001

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Last Modified Tue, July 16, 2002