Yield loss and growth-defense trade-offs: impact of engineering amino acid transporters

Abstract

Recent studies recognize the importance of membrane transporters as vital targets for global food security, with amino acid transporters playing a key role in various plant processes afecting growth, productivity, and nutritional value. The manipulation of amino acid transporters in crop plants ofers a promising avenue for enhancing their nutritional profles, improving seed yield, and ensuring better survival under environmental stresses. However, such genetic modifcations often result in pleiotropic efects, including alterations in seed weight, starch, and sucrose levels, as well as compromised plant growth over improved stress tolerance and nutritional enhancement. These unintended phenotypic trade-ofs consequences underscore the importance of careful consideration in genetic engineering to achieve desired agricultural outcomes without compromising overall plant health and yield.