CRISPR, camelina, cut! : Valorizing genome-edited Camelina sativa for a bio-based economy

Abstract

The European oleochemical industry uses more and more renewable bio-based medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) and longer mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) as sources for a wide range of applications such as plastics, lubricants and polymer building blocks, and can in theory completely replace the fossil-based petrochemical industry. The raw materials for these fatty acids consist of imported plant oils (e.g. palm kernel oil). The increased demand of these oils for oleochemical use, however, cannot sustainably be fulfilled by producing more palm kernel oil as such increase in production would most likely only be possible by converting tropical rainforest to plantations. The main aim of this thesis is to generate novel genetic variation by deploying CRISPR/Cas9 to camelina to in the end reduce the dependency of Europe on imported palm kernel and coconut oils and fatty acids. This should help us considerably in achieving a more sustainable bio-based economy.