The partnership between Camena Bioscience, Constructive Bio, and the Max-Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology (MPI-MP) represents a major initiative in the field of synthetic biology. The project, funded with a £9.1 million grant from the UK's Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA), aims to tackle the significant challenge of synthesizing a plant's chloroplast genome. These genomes, which are typically between 120 and 170 kilobases in length, are notoriously difficult to work with due to their high AT-rich content and extensive repetitive regions. The collaboration will leverage Camena's enzymatic DNA synthesis technology, which can produce highly accurate and complex DNA sequences, and Constructive Bio's expertise in large-scale DNA assembly to build these full-genome constructs.

The ultimate goal is to create a "universal" synthetic chloroplast genome that can be used across different plant species, starting with the nightshade family, which includes common crops like tomatoes and potatoes. This would drastically streamline plant breeding and allow for the rapid development of new, improved plant varieties. The project could lead to the creation of crops with enhanced climate resilience, such as improved CO₂ absorption or water efficiency. Furthermore, it holds the potential to transform plants into sustainable "biofactories" for producing a wide range of valuable products, including biofuels, pharmaceuticals, and biodegradable materials, thereby contributing to a more sustainable bioeconomy. The collaboration also involves academics from the University of Essex and UC Berkeley, highlighting its international scope and the cross-disciplinary nature of the research.