Researchers at the John Innes Centre and the University of Exeter have developed an AI model named PlantRNA-FM, which is being hailed as a breakthrough in plant research. This model aims to decode the genetic language of plants, potentially leading to significant advancements in the field.
PlantRNA-FM is described as the first tool of its kind, representing a technological breakthrough that could drive discoveries and innovations not only in plant research but also in the study of invertebrates and bacteria. The RNA, much like DNA, is a crucial molecule found in all living organisms. It carries genetic information and regulates biological functions such as plant growth and stress responses.
The RNA sequences are composed of nucleotides arranged in specific patterns, comparable to words and sentences in human languages. To better understand the functions of this complex RNA language, PlantRNA-FM was developed. The AI model was trained with 54 billion pieces of RNA information, encompassing the genetic patterns of over 1,100 plant species and the alphabet of plant RNA language.
The development process of PlantRNA-FM was akin to the training of models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT. However, instead of human language, the AI model learned the plant-based RNA language, ultimately grasping the grammar and logic of RNA sequences and structures. The model has already been used to make precise predictions about specific RNA functions, which were subsequently confirmed through experiments.
According to bioinformatician Haopeng Yu from the John Innes Centre, while RNA sequences may appear random to the human eye, the AI model has learned to decipher hidden patterns within them. This research was published in the journal Nature Machine Intelligence.
PlantRNA-FM is just the beginning, according to the researchers. With AI support, future models could be developed to understand hidden DNA and RNA languages in nature. Understanding the DNA and RNA language of plants could allow for programming them to enhance traits such as resilience or yield. This could also lead to the development of entirely new, more efficient crops.
Overall, the ability to decode the genetic language of plants using AI could revolutionize agriculture and plant biology, offering new ways to address global challenges such as food security and environmental sustainability.