A team of Canadian researchers has sequenced the genome of Cannabis sativa, the plant that produces both industrial hemp and marijuana, and in the process revealed the genetic changes that led to the plant’s drug-producing properties.
Jon Page is a plant biochemist and adjunct professor of biology at the University of Saskatchewan. He explains that a simple genetic switch is likely responsible for the production of THCA, or tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, the precursor of the active ingredient in marijuana.
“The transcriptome analysis showed that the THCA synthase gene, an essential enzyme in THCA production, is turned on in marijuana, but switched off in hemp,” Page says.
Tim Hughes, co-leader of the project, is a professor at the Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research and the Department of Molecular Genetics at the University of Toronto. He explains the team compared the potent Purple Kush marijuana variety with ‘Finola’ hemp, which is grown for seed production. Hemp lacks THCA, but does contain another, non-psychoactive substance called CBDA, or cannabidiolic acid.
“Detailed analysis of the two genomes suggests that domestication, cultivation, and breeding of marijuana strains has caused the loss of the enzyme (CBDA synthase), which would otherwise compete for the metabolites used as starting material in THCA production,” Hughes says.
Essentially, this means that over thousands of years of cultivation, hemp farmers selectively bred Cannabis sativa into two distinct strains – one for fibre and seed, and one for medicine. Marijuana has been used medicinally for more than 2,700 years, and continues to be explored for its pharmaceutical potential.
“Plants continue to be a major source of medicines, both as herbal drugs and as pharmaceutical compounds,” Page says. “Although more than 20 plant genomes have been published, ranging from major food crops such as rice and corn, to laboratory models like Arabidopsis, this is the first genome of a medicinal plant.”
The researchers expect that sequencing the Cannabis sativa genome will help answer basic questions about the biology of the plant as well as furthering development of its myriad applications. These include strains for pharmaceutical production, high-producing industrial hemp plants, and hemp seed varieties to produce high-quality edible oil. Hemp seed oil is rich in omega 6, an essential fatty acid, and its fibre is used in the production of textiles.
According to the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance, about 25,000 acres of the crop were sown in Canada in 2010, much of this in Manitoba. Due to hemp’s association with marijuana, farmers need to be licensed through Health Canada to grow the crop. Canadian medicinal marijuana is currently produced under Health Canada contract with Prairie Plant Systems, a biotechnology company based in Saskatoon.
Once again our neighbor to the South misinterprets our efforts in Canada and totally ignores the fact that University of Alberta, Canada, has developed a Hemp car body – a renewable car body – as in “grow your own” car body! No welding, no mining, no steel forging, no great fossil fuel burning steel mills, no annealing, no smoke, no chemicals, no crazy coking furnaces. This is a decided short-cut to a better lighter, safer, corrosion proof, environmentally friendly car body – but is turned back at the U.S. borders by ass-holes who fear the Hemp content??? You read it here first! How “fucking nuts” do you have to be to be an American ??? Fear not! China will buy them, so will the rest of the world, when they realize the true value from Canada’s fields, and Canadian science.
Hi, I just discovered your blog via yahoo. Your post is truly pertinent to my life at this moment, and I’m really delighted I discovered your website.
Hello! I just wish to give a huge thumbs up for the nice data you’ve right here on this post. I can be coming again to your weblog for extra soon.
What i don’t realize is actually how you are not really much more well-liked than you might be now. You’re so intelligent. You realize thus significantly relating to this subject, made me personally consider it from so many varied angles. Its like men and women aren’t fascinated unless it?s one thing to do with Lady gaga! Your own stuffs great. Always maintain it up!
The right machine is going to jump right out at me. When you
have this in writing it will help you to stay away when it is not economically feasible for you
to go all the time. At Poker Stars the beginner can learn
how to gamble, by playing games for free.
My kids checked me into a crisis center and they gave me information about
Gambler’s Anonymous. Here are a few simple tips to help you get into vibrational alignment with winning as well. Also, having every seat in sight filled adds to the impression of a winning locale.
When did bp oil spill get plugged?
Before you choose a system find out as much as you can about it and the person who created it.
You can also take the time to take a closer
look with how satisfied their previous and current customers are and the
overall reputation of the site. The methods of betting depend on the sport or the game.
Perhaps, it might provide a stronger reason for advertising in the first place.
When you purchase custom sports bottles, you should take great care
with what you decide to have printed on the bottle. Money management in gambling consists of three important factors – budget management, bankroll management,
and gambling limits.
Attractive section of content. I just stumbled upon your web site and in accession capital
to assert that I get in fact enjoyed account your blog posts.
Any way I’ll be subscribing to your feeds and even I achievement you access consistently rapidly.