The newest development in cannabis science

Intro

I recently read an article about CRISPR potentially being used to produce THC-free and CBD-free cannabis plants via precision gene editing of relevant genes. This has major implications on the cannabis market going forward an ill attempt to go over some of the recent research and legislation that has finally made claims like this possible.

U.S research regulations loosen

A loosening of US federal regulations that allowed researchers to handle cannabis DNA starting with the 2014 Farm Bill. This allowed for research that would have been almost impossible in the U.S previously. Before the legislation changes University of Mississippi research lab was the only site under contract with the federal government to research marijuana.

Advancements in the cannabis genomics research

A new kind of “long-read” sequencing technology gave chief scientific officer of Aurora Cannabis Jonathan Page along with his colleagues Hughes and van Bakel the tools they needed to produce an updated, high-resolution genome build, now with the plant’s 820 million or so DNA letters arranged into 10 discrete chromosomes.

their researchers as well as resequencing Purple Kush genome they had previously began to map in 2014, they mapped the genome of a hemp variety called Finola. Plus they crossed the two types of cannabis to zoom in on the genetic source of cannabinoid biosynthesis. On chromosome 6, the researchers could clearly chart two unique cannabinoid synthase genes, each separated from the other by around 20 million nucleotides. Only the DNA of the Purple Kush marijuana plant had a working version of the THC synthase gene, though, and only the DNA of the Finola hemp had a working version of the CBD synthase gene.

Using this genomic research..

At Canopy Growth in Evergreen, CO, Director of Genetics Research Rob Roscow claims to have developed a method for making THC-free and CBD-free plants via precision gene editing of the relevant genes.

Conclusion

Nice to see this type of research being done advancement in the biology of of cannabis. Given its legal status knowledge of this plants physiology and its genetic makeup is significantly lacking in comparison to most plants. Any advancements is great but its particularly cool to see the involvement of gene editing in cannabis industry I posted about this exact thing months ago
@chubb149/genetic-history-of-cannabis
called it.