Cerelixis: precision phytostimulants for resilient agriculture

by Kim Nalin

A new EMBL spin-off leverages new insights into plant biology for more efficient crop protection.

Summary

• To sustainably feed a growing population, we need complementary solutions to conventional crop protection, which already faces significant challenges from climate change, slow innovation, and strict regulations.
• Researchers from EMBL Grenoble’s Marquez Team contributed to the mechanistic understanding of abscisic acid (ABA) receptors – components of a key signalling pathway that helps plants respond to environmental stress.
• This discovery enables the development of precision phytostimulants – chemicals that could help crops grow better and be more resilient to adverse environmental conditions.
• The research led to the creation of Cerelixis, an EMBL spin-off working on translating these findings into solutions for sustainable agriculture.

Feeding a projected 11 billion people by the end of the 21st century necessitates a substantial increase in food production. However, boosting yields has traditionally meant relying on crop protection strategies – pesticides or herbicides to prevent crop loss due to pests, weeds, fungi, etc. Yet, these conventional methods are increasingly challenged by factors such as climate change, stricter regulations, and growing resistance issues.

EMBL researchers have developed a promising solution that complements conventional crop protection by improving plants’ resilience to adverse conditions. This innovation could partially address the new challenges we face, while aiming for a more environment- and health-friendly approach. This research is now being translated into real-world agricultural solutions through a new EMBL spin-off – Cerelixis.

Crop protection rooted in improved molecular understanding

Working with scientists from the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) and EMBL Heidelberg’s Chemical Biology Core Facility (CBCF), the Marquez Team at EMBL Grenoble harnessed the institute’s leading-edge technology to develop potent molecules that bind to abscisic acid (ABA) receptors and modulate the ABA signalling pathway in plants.

When the plant hormone ABA binds to its receptors, it activates signals that can help switch on key enzymes by shutting down their inhibitors. Essentially, the ABA signalling pathway acts as a central command centre, orchestrating vital plant responses to environmental stresses and developmental cues. Beyond stress responses, the ABA pathway also plays crucial roles in seed dormancy, germination, and plant growth regulation. It is thus of fundamental importance in plant survival and adaptation to fluctuating conditions.

Research in the Marquez lab helped explain at a molecular level how the ABA signalling pathway is activated in plants. This, in turn, provided insights on how to design molecules to either switch this pathway on or off. Such novel molecules could act as ‘phytostimulants’, strengthening the plants’ resilience to adverse conditions and potentially leading to better harvest quality.

“At Cerelixis, we’re pioneering smart, targeted solutions to enhance and safeguard crops by outsmarting biological and environmental vulnerabilities,” explained Julia Santiago Cuellar, an EMBL alumna and now an Associate Professor at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland. “Our process starts with identifying crucial protein targets in trait regulation. We then rapidly screen vast molecular libraries to find activators or disruptors. This accelerated discovery yields multiple promising candidates, which we refine into powerful, precise tools. These tools enable crops to resist threats, enhance resilience, and ultimately increase yields – it’s like flipping a molecular ‘off switch’ to sustainably overcome plant limitations.”

Cultivating change: collaborative effort within Europe

The new start-up, Cerelixis, has a strong foundation in sustainable agriculture, built by bringing together experts from across Europe. This endeavour also leveraged technological advancements supported by European Commission infrastructure programmes, such as iNEXT and Fragment Screen.

Marquez, with over two decades of experience in structural biology research and high-throughput technologies, drives the scientific core of Cerelixis. His expertise has been instrumental in numerous plant biology discoveries.

“This approach provides an efficient and comprehensive pipeline from X-ray-based ligand screening to medicinal chemistry optimisation,” said José Antonio Marquez, Team Leader at EMBL and co-founder of Cerelixis. “The Marquez Team’s development of a technical solution, including the CRIMS database, also means we can now perform rapid atomic-scale 3D structural analysis, so this whole process now takes considerably less time. Its potential is immense.”

The Cerelixis team also includes Marianna Vrettou Schultes, the Co-founder and Managing Director. Her expertise covers research and development, strategic marketing, and business development. “With over 17 years in agricultural R&D, I still find it incredibly fulfilling to embark on my own entrepreneurial journey to spread a wind of change, especially when it has the potential for such a positive impact on the industry,” said Schultes.

Further strengthening Cerelixis’s scientific direction is plant molecular and structural biologist Julia Santiago Cuellar. She is an EMBL alumna and now an Associate Professor at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland.

The early journey of Cerelixis was accelerated by EMBLEM, the technology transfer partner and commercial arm of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, headquartered in Heidelberg, Germany. With over 25 years of experience in translating life science breakthroughs into commercial realities, EMBLEM proactively identified the potential of Cerelixis’s innovations and provided vital early-stage support and guidance.

Building on this robust European network, Cerelixis has now been selected to join the prestigious Venture Lab Programme from the BioInnovation Institute (BII) in Copenhagen, Denmark, as a result of winning the highly competitive Venture Lab Competition. This provides significant funding to advance the commercial potential of their molecules. It also grants access to BII’s world-class facilities, mentorship from seasoned professionals, and a vibrant ecosystem dedicated to fostering life science innovation.

The Cerelixis journey is just beginning, yet it’s already attracting the attention of major agricultural players, according to the co-founders. Discussions are underway with venture capital firms and agricultural R&D organisations, helping them reach the next step of commercial seed production.