The duckweeds: A valuable plant for biomanufacturing

• Published in: Biotechnology Annual Review Vol. 11; pp. 69 - 99
• Main Author: Stomp, Anne-Marie
• Format: Book Chapter Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Science & Technology 2005
• Subjects: Agriculture - methods; Agrobacterium; Araceae - chemistry; Araceae - genetics; Araceae - growth & development; biolistic; biomanufacturing; Biomass; bioprocessing; Biotechnology - methods; callus; genetic engineering; Genetic Engineering - methods; Lemna; Lemnaceae; Plants, Genetically Modified; recombinant protein; Recombinant Proteins - biosynthesis; Spirodela; tissue culture; transformation; Water Purification - methods; biomanufacturing; bioprocessing; Agrobacterium; Lemnaceae; callus; tissue culture; recombinant protein; Lemna; Spirodela; biolistic; transformation; genetic engineering
• ISBN: 0444519521; 9780444519528
• ISSN: 1387-2656; 1875-5208
• DOI: 10.1016/S1387-2656(05)11002-3

Inherent characteristics of duckweed, including fast, clonal growth, small size and simple growth habit, argue for their use as a biomanufacturing platform for proteins, polymers and small molecules. This review addresses five areas relevant to commercialization of the duckweed platform: (1) the characteristics of wild-type duckweed and general cultural requirements; (2) the genetics and biochemistry of the plants and recent scientific developments that provide the technology necessary to genetically modify duckweed; (3) the advantages provided by inherent duckweed characteristics and genetic engineering technology relative to bioproduction; (4) recent progress towards commercialization of duckweed-based products and (5) the major research needs for further R&D.