The small tomatoes on shelves of supermarkets in Japan may look like normal fruit, but they are actually genetic pioneers. In late 2021, Japanese company Sanatech Seed began selling special tomatoes that had been genetically modified to produce high levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a compound naturally found in the brain. GABA has been linked to stress reduction and is touted as a treatment for high blood pressure and insomnia. Rather than take GABA as a supplement, diners can simply incorporate it into their salads.
Sanatech used a revolutionary gene-editing technology called CRISPR to modify a tomato genome to reduce the production of enzymes that naturally break down GABA. Now a decade old, CRISPR is widely acknowledged as one of the most important technological breakthroughs in human history. It makes editing genetic material far simpler and more affordable.
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