Towards Sustainable Protein Sources for Europe: Biosynthesis and Transport of the Lupin Alkaloids

Lupins are protein crops with great potential to address the EU’s dependency on protein imports. However, the presence of toxic alkaloids in their beans has limited their use as food and feed crops. In this project, two postdocs and one PhD student will uncover how these alkaloids are made and moved around within lupin plants. The project will set the stage for the creation of insect-resistant lupin varieties that accumulate alkaloids of industrial relevance yet produce alkaloid-free beans.