A deficiency of amino acids and proteins in the diet is reflected in metabolic disorders,
which are common in developing countries. However, individuals following a
vegetarian diet may also be at risk of a deficiency in certain essential amino acids, as
amino acids such as cysteine, methionine, lysine, threonine, and tryptophan are present
only in limited amounts in plant-based foods. Traditional breeding efforts to increase
amino acid content have mostly been unsuccessful, and when increases were achieved,
they were often accompanied by a reduction in crop yield. The goal could potentially be
achieved through the use of genetic engineering and newer tools for targeted genome
editing. In genetic engineering, four main strategies have been employed: i) enhancing
the synthesis of essential amino acids, ii) reducing their catabolism, iii) expressing
storage proteins in seeds that are rich in these amino acids, and iv) suppressing genes
that encode seed storage proteins poor in one of these amino acids. However, in the
European Union, genetically modified plants are subject to strict regulations, which
currently also apply to all plants developed through genome editing techniques. As of
2023, changes in regulations regarding new genomic techniques (NGTs) are expected.
The so-called NGT1 plants, with alterations of up to 20 nucleotides, would be subject
to a simplified approval process and less stringent regulation. The NGT2 category would
include all other plants still falling under the legislation governing genetically modified
organisms.
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