Plant protoplasts in the age of synthetic biology

Protoplasts have long contributed to plant biology. This review discusses how protoplasts aid in the 'design-build-test-learn' cycle in synthetic biology and how this approach can help other areas of research. Protoplasts, which are plant cells with their cell walls removed, have been used for decades in plant research and have been instrumental in genetic transformation and the study of various aspects of plant physiology and genetics. With the advent of synthetic biology, these individualized plant cells are fundamental to accelerate the 'design-build-test-learn' cycle, which is relatively slow in plant research. Despite their potential, challenges remain in expanding the use of protoplasts in synthetic biology. The capacity of individual protoplasts to hybridize to form new varieties, and to regenerate from single cells, creating individuals with new features is underexplored. The main objective of this review is to discuss the use of protoplasts in plant synthetic biology and to highlight the challenges to exploiting protoplast technologies in this new 'age of synthetic biology'.

Automated summary

This review discusses the role of protoplasts in the 'design-build-test-learn' cycle in synthetic biology and their potential impact on other areas of research. Protoplasts, plant cells with their cell walls removed, have been used for genetic transformation and studying plant physiology and genetics for decades. With the emergence of synthetic biology, protoplasts play a crucial role in speeding up the research cycle. However, challenges remain in fully exploiting their potential in synthetic biology.