Cytotrait’s proprietary technology (termed MOSS for ‘Mutant Organelle Selection System’) introduces genes and gene edits into organelles, both chloroplasts and mitochondria, in a way that rapidly achieves homoplasmy, that is, every organelle of a cell or plant contains the desired genetic change.

This breakthrough allows the engineering of traits with localized and high-level expression – many thousand copies of the gene per cell – offering the prospect of reduced transgene phytotoxicity, easier backcrossing and trait stacking, efficient containment, improved management of insect and disease resistance and an easier regulatory route.

The technology has a wide range of potential applications from enhancing crop yields and resilience to introducing valuable food traits. In addition to these agronomic benefits, our approach supports sustainability with the potential for significant carbon savings compared to conventional methods.