DEAR0002025

New York University - New Award
Control Number: 3405-1553
Teosynte (DE-FOA-0003405)

Project Title: “TF Regulon Engineering: Reducing N2O Emissions by Increasing NUE in Bioenergy Crops”

Description: “In this ARPA-E proposal, we will use novel machine learning (ML) approaches to identify and verify genes-of-importance to NUE and enhance their function in plants.

Since multiple genes and pathways contribute to NUE, we focus on discovering the regulatory networks that link transcription factors (TFs) to the expression of genes that control NUE, termed TF-NUE regulon.

We then engineer maize lines to have equal or greater yield on reduced N-fertilizer and lower N2O emissions using synthetic biology principles to manipulate these NUE TF-regulons.

To enable this new technology, we will carry out three tasks across bioenergy crops to find universal design targets for TF-NUE regulons:

In Task 1, our novel ML algorithm “Bipartite Machine Learning” will predict TF pairs that cooperate to impact NUE traits.

In Task 2, we will verify the function of interactive TFs on genes affecting NUE in a high-throughput cell-based system to prioritize interactive TF-NUE regulons that most influence field NUE.

In Task 3, we will use modern synthetic biology to manipulate interactive TF-regulon sets in maize to increase NUE and reduce N2O in field trials.

This innovative pipeline of discovery will unveil the TF regulons that control the agricultural trait of NUE to reduce N2O emissions and disrupt an agricultural market that depends on environmentally costly N-fertilizer.”

New York University

TEOSYNTE (DE-FOA-0003405) PROGRAM TITLE: TECHNOLOGIES TO EMEND AND OBVIATE SYNTHETIC NITROGEN'S TOLL ON EMISSIONS (TEOSYNTE) “THE TECHNOLOGIES TO EMEND AND OBVIATE SYNTHETIC NITROGEN’S TOLL ON EMISSIONS (TEOSYNTE) PROGRAM AIMS TO LOWER NITROUS OXIDE (N2O) EMISSIONS FROM THE CULTIVATION OF CORN AND SORGHUM USED FOR UNITED STATES ETHANOL PRODUCTION BY 50%. THE PROGRAM WILL EMPHASIZE PLANT AND MICROBIAL BIO-DESIGN STRATEGIES THAT LOWER THE APPLICATION OF SYNTHETIC NITROGEN (N) FERTILIZER ON CORN AND SORGHUM FIELDS WHILE MAINTAINING CROP YIELDS AND REDUCING 50% OF N2O EMISSIONS. LOWERING THE REQUIREMENTS OF SYNTHETIC N FERTILIZER WILL ALSO LOWER COSTS TO FARMERS, AS THE COST OF FERTILIZER IS A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE OPERATING EXPENSES OF A FARM. THIS PROGRAM WILL ENABLE TECHNOLOGIES TO REDUCE N FERTILIZER CONSUMPTION AND N2O EMISSIONS. THESE TECHNOLOGIES WILL TRANSFORM AGRICULTURE AND LOWER THE N2O CONTRIBUTION TO THE CARBON INTENSITY (CI) OF ETHANOL PRODUCED TODAY FOR LIGHT DUTY VEHICLES AND IN THE FUTURE FOR SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUEL. CATEGORY A: CROP BREEDING AND GENETIC ENGINEERING APPROACHES THAT ALTER PLANT PHYSIOLOGY OR PLANT ARCHITECTURE TO REDUCE THE REQUIREMENT OF APPLIED N OR TO PREVENT N LOSS TO THE ENVIRONMENT. EXAMPLES OF THESE APPROACHES MAY INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, IMPROVING CROP N INCORPORATION TO A LOWER APPLIED N RATE, OR EMPLOYING BIOLOGICAL NITRIFICATION INHIBITION TO LOWER THE AMOUNT OF APPLIED N AND REDUCE N2O EMISSIONS. CATEGORY B: MICROBIAL APPROACHES TO INCREASE THE DELIVERY OF N TO PLANTS. EXAMPLES OF THESE APPROACHES MAY INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, MICROBIAL ENGINEERING OR MICROBIOME DESIGN OF N2-FIXING ENDOPHYTIC OR FREE-LIVING DIAZOTROPHS OR UTILIZING ENGINEERED MICROORGANISMS, INCLUDING FUNGI, TO IMPROVE SOIL N MINERALIZATION AND/OR DELIVERY OF N TO THE PLANT. CATEGORY C: SYSTEMIC APPROACHES TO FACILITATE DELIVERY OF N BY DESIGNED INTERACTIONS BETWEEN PLANT AND MICROBE. PROPOSED PROJECTS IN CATEGORY C MAY COMBINE THE APPROACHES OF CATEGORIES A AND B OR FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON THE PLANT-MICROBE INTERFACE. EXAMPLES OF THESE APPROACHES MAY INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, COMBINING PLANT MODIFICATIONS THAT IMPROVE N UPTAKE WITH MICROBIAL MODIFICATIONS THAT ENHANCE N DELIVERY, OR IDENTIFYING AND ENHANCING INTERACTIONS BETWEEN PLANT ROOTS AND DIAZOTROPHIC MICROBES TO FACILITATE THE DELIVERY OF N. CATEGORY D: OTHER TECHNOLOGIES FOR COUPLED N FERTILIZER REDUCTION AND N2O EMISSIONS MITIGATION THAT DO NOT FIT WITHIN CATEGORIES A, B, AND C, IF THEY INCLUDE ELEMENTS OF PLANT AND/OR MICROBIAL BIO-DESIGN.”

81.135 - Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy

Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E) [DOE]

New York, New York United States

City-Wide

TECHNOLOGIES TO EMEND AND OBVIATE SYNTHETIC NITROGEN’S TOLL ON EMISSIONS (TEOSYNTE) (DE-FOA-0003405)