Tired of turkey? Try gene edited, meat-like fungi.
As the world faces an impending protein shortage, with global demand for animal-based protein projected to double by 2050, innovative solutions are emerging to address this challenge. One such solution comes from researchers at Jiangnan University in China, who have utilized CRISPR gene editing technology to enhance a fungus known as *Fusarium venenatum*, traditionally used as a meat alternative. By modifying its DNA, they have created a more digestible and resource-efficient strain that not only mimics the taste and texture of meat but also boasts a significantly smaller environmental footprint compared to conventional livestock farming and even lab-grown meat. These findings, published in the journal *Trends in Biotechnology*, highlight a promising avenue for sustainable protein production in a world grappling with climate change and food security.
The innovative process involves cultivating *Fusarium venenatum* in bioreactors, where it is fed a nutrient-rich diet to produce a high-protein biomass. However, the original strain’s thick cell walls made it difficult to digest and resource-intensive to produce. The researchers successfully identified and “knocked out” specific genes responsible for these traits, resulting in a strain that requires 44% less sugar and produces protein 88% faster than its non-genetically edited counterpart. Their simulations suggest that this new strain could require up to 70% less land to produce the same amount of protein as chickens, underscoring the potential of gene-edited fungi to meet the growing food demands without the environmental costs associated with traditional animal agriculture.
Despite the promise of gene-edited fungi, the landscape of protein alternatives is complex. While plant-based meat products gained popularity in the mid-2010s, sales have recently declined due to concerns over additives and sodium levels. Meanwhile, lab-grown meat is attracting significant investment but faces regulatory hurdles and public skepticism, as seen in recent bans in states like Florida and countries such as Italy. As the global appetite for protein-rich diets continues to rise, the development of sustainable alternatives like gene-edited fungi could play a crucial role in reshaping our food systems, potentially reducing reliance on livestock and alleviating the environmental pressures of traditional farming practices.
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It might not seem so obvious when walking past rows of vacuum-sealed Butterball
turkeys
at the supermarket, but the world is on the
brink of a protein shortage
. Global demand for animal-based protein is
expected to double by 2050
and while plant-based alternatives exist,
enthusiasm around them has wavered in recent years
. One possible solution to the brewing protein problem:
gene-edited
fungus.
Using
CRISPR gene editing technology
, researchers from Jiangnan University in China took a fungus that is already used as a meat alternative (
Fusarium venenatum
) and tweaked its DNA to make it easier to digest and less resource-intensive to produce. The result, if brought up to scale, is a genetically engineered fungus that tastes like meat and could have a smaller environmental footprint than traditional livestock or even â
lab-grown
â cell-cultured meat. The studyâs findings were
published today in the journal
Trends in Biotechnology
.
âWe successfully made a fungus not only more nutritious but also more environmentally friendly by tweaking its genes,â corresponding author and Jiangnan assistant professor Xiao Liu
said in a statement
. âGene-edited foods like this can meet growing food demands without the environmental costs of conventional farming.âÂ
A picture of
Fusarium venenatum. Image: Xiao Liu
Turning fungi into âmeatâ
Deriving protein alternatives from fungi and other microbes isnât new. The process typically involves
selecting a microbe and growing it in a steel bioreactor
. Once inside the bioreactor, itâs fed a steady supply of nutrientsâusually a combination of sugars and minerals. Over time, this mixture develops into a large, protein-rich biomass that often looks like a goopy slurry or a soft bread dough, depending on the microbe.Â
Even if that doesnât sound all that appetizing, the resulting biomass can then be processed into a variety of high-protein foods. Unlike raising cattle or pigs, microbial cultivation isnât dependent on seasons or temperature fluctuations. It also can be more sustainable, as the production of animal proteins may
account for around 37 percent of the worldâs greenhouse gas emissi
ons.
The first commercial microbial-protein product,
a type of animal feed called Pruteen,
actually dates back to the 1970s. Today, several other varieties are available for human consumption in grocery stores.
The power of
Fusarium veneatum
When it comes to making these alternatives with fungi, engineers have long preferred
Fusarium venenatum
for
protein farming
because it produces a texture that closely resembles meat. But the production process isnât perfect. This particular fungus has thick cell walls that make it difficult for humans to digest, and it requires a substantial amount of resources to grow it into a biomass thatâs useful as a protein alternative. Thatâs a problem, especially if part of the appeal of microbial protein is reducing the environmental impact associated with traditional animal agriculture.
Thatâs where the
power of CRISPR
comes in. Liu and his colleagues wanted to see if they could identify and âknock outâ the specific genes in the fungusâs DNA to simultaneously boost digestibility and overall production efficiency. It took them some time to find the right targets, but eventually they removed genes associated with the enzymes chitin synthase and pyruvate decarboxylase. Eliminating the chitin synthase-related enzymes reduced the fungusâs cell wall integrity, making it easier to digest. Meanwhile, removing the pyruvate decarboxylase-related enzymes, fine-tuned the fungusâs metabolism, reducing the amount of nutrients needed to produce protein.
This new, edited DNA strain require
d 44 percent less sugar
to produce the same amount of protein as a non-genetically altered strain. It was also able to produce protein
88 percent faster than the original version
. Using these figures as a starting point, the team simulated the environmental impact of producing their fungus at scale compared to traditional animal protein. While thereâs many factors involved such as the type of agricultural infrastructure available to particular counties, the researchers reported that their genetically altered strain would require 70 percent less land to produce the same amount of protein as chickens.
âTaken together, this work provides compelling evidence that CRISPR/Cas-based technology is a powerful gene editing tool that could simultaneously enhance the nutritional properties and sustainability of MP [microbial protein], which will help drive long-term development of the alternative protein industry,â the researchers write in the paper.Â
Related: [
This fermented meat alternative could help halve global deforestation rates
]
Reducing animal consumption is easier said than done
These new findings come amid a period of rapid change in protein alternatives. While popular plant-based meat products, such as those offered by Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, experienced major commercial success in the mid-2010s, the brands have seen sales decline as of late. They have also faced growing criticism,
whether justified or not
, for containing
higher levels of sodium
and
other additives
compared to animal protein.
Cultivated meat, which refers to animal protein grown in a lab from animal cells, is gaining popular attention and
attracting billions in investment
at the same time. Shoppers are also curious: a 2024
survey
from Purdue University found that two-thirds of respondents said they would try cultivated meat or chicken in a restaurant.Â
Even though this type of cultivated protein is still many years away from mainstream availability (a single lab-grown chicken nugget currently
costs around $50 to produce
), it is already facing backlash. In the United States,
several states including Florida and Mississippi
, have already passed legislation banning the production or sale of cultivated meat. Itâs also not a uniquely American aversion. Last year, Italy officially became
the first country to ban the production
, sale, or import of cultivated meat or animal feed.
All thatâs to say fermented microbial meat alternatives like fungus could have some big barriers to break down, especially as global
demand for protein-rich diets
continues to skyrocket. Increased use of gene-edited fungal foods could mean less land and fewer resources devoted to raising livestock, and fewer creatures living out their final days in a slaughterhouse.Â
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Tired of turkey? Try gene edited, meat-like fungi.
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