Engineering Resistance Against Viruses in Field Crops Using CRISPR-Cas9

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vidya R. Hinge ◽  
Rahul L. Chavhan ◽  
Sandeep P. Kale ◽  
Penna Suprasanna ◽  
Ulhas S. Kadam

: Various types biotic stresses affect growth and production of agricultural crops, among them viruses are of most concern which cause yield losses in all field crops; challenging global food security. Enhancement of host resistance against plant viruses is a priority for effective management of plant viral diseases. In the present context of climate change scenario, plant viruses are rapidly evolving and defeating the host resistance. Advances in genome editing techniques such as CRISPR-Cas9 [clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats-CRISPR-associated 9] have been recognized as a promising tool for the development of plant virus resistance. CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing tool is widely preferred due to high target specificity, simple, efficient, and reproducible genetic manipulation. CRISPR-Cas9 based virus resistance in plants has been successfully achieved through gene targeting and cleaving viral genome or altering the plant genome to enhance plant innate immunity. In this article, we have outlined the CRISPR-Cas9 system, plant immunity against viruses and use of CRISPR-Cas9 system to engineer virus resistance in plants. We also discuss prospects and challenges on the use of CRISPR-Cas9-mediated plant virus resistance in crop improvement.

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 328-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaling Zhao ◽  
Xin Yang ◽  
Guohui Zhou ◽  
Tong Zhang

2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 56-56
Author(s):  
Michael Thomson

Abstract The precision and ease of use of CRISPR nucleases, such as Cas9 and Cpf1, for plant genome editing has the potential to accelerate a wide range of applications for crop improvement. For upstream research on gene discovery and validation, rapid gene knock-outs can enable testing of single genes and multi-gene families for functional effects. Large chromosomal deletions can test the function of tandem gene arrays and assist with positional cloning of QTLs by helping to narrow down the target region. Nuclease-deactivated Cas9 fusion proteins with transcriptional activators and repressors can be used to up and down-regulate gene expression. Even more promising, gene insertions and allele replacements can provide the opportunity to rapidly test the effects of different alleles at key loci in the same genetic background, providing a more precise alternative to marker-assisted backcrossing. Recently, Texas A&M AgriLife Research has supported the development of a Crop Genome Editing Lab at Texas A&M working towards optimizing a high-throughput gene editing pipeline and providing an efficient and cost-effective gene editing service for research and breeding groups. The lab is using rice as a model to test and optimize new approaches aimed towards overcoming current bottlenecks. For example, a wealth of genomics data from the rice community enables the development of novel approaches to predict which genes and target modifications may be most beneficial for crop improvement, taking advantage of known major genes, high-resolution GWAS data, multiple high-quality reference genomes, transcriptomics data, and resequencing data from the 3,000 Rice Genomes Project. Current projects have now expanded to work across multiple crops to provide breeding and research groups with a rapid gene editing pipeline to test candidate genes in their programs, with the ultimate goal of developing nutritious, high-yielding, stress-tolerant crops for the future.


Author(s):  
Nathaniel Schleif ◽  
Shawn M. Kaeppler ◽  
Heidi F. Kaeppler

AbstractPlant breeding relies on the presence of genetic variation, which is generated by a random process of mutagenesis that acts on existing gene pools. This variation is then recombined into new forms at frequencies impacted by the local euchromatin and heterochromatin environment. The result is a genetic lottery where plant breeders face increasingly low odds of generating a “winning” plant genotype. Genome editing tools enable targeted manipulation of the genome, providing a means to increase genetic variation and enhancing the chances for plant breeding success. Editing can be applied in a targeted way, where known genetic variation that improves performance can be directly brought into lines of interest through either deletion or insertion. This empowers approaches that are traditionally difficult such as novel domestication and introgression of wild accessions into a germplasm pool. Furthermore, broader editing-mediated approaches such as recombination enhancement and targeted random mutagenesis bring novel ways of variation creation to the plant breeding toolbox. Continued development and application of plant genome editing tools will be needed to aid in meeting critical global crop improvement needs.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (16) ◽  
pp. 4045 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Razzaq ◽  
Fozia Saleem ◽  
Mehak Kanwal ◽  
Ghulam Mustafa ◽  
Sumaira Yousaf ◽  
...  

Increasing agricultural productivity via modern breeding strategies is of prime interest to attain global food security. An array of biotic and abiotic stressors affect productivity as well as the quality of crop plants, and it is a primary need to develop crops with improved adaptability, high productivity, and resilience against these biotic/abiotic stressors. Conventional approaches to genetic engineering involve tedious procedures. State-of-the-art OMICS approaches reinforced with next-generation sequencing and the latest developments in genome editing tools have paved the way for targeted mutagenesis, opening new horizons for precise genome engineering. Various genome editing tools such as transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), and meganucleases (MNs) have enabled plant scientists to manipulate desired genes in crop plants. However, these approaches are expensive and laborious involving complex procedures for successful editing. Conversely, CRISPR/Cas9 is an entrancing, easy-to-design, cost-effective, and versatile tool for precise and efficient plant genome editing. In recent years, the CRISPR/Cas9 system has emerged as a powerful tool for targeted mutagenesis, including single base substitution, multiplex gene editing, gene knockouts, and regulation of gene transcription in plants. Thus, CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing has demonstrated great potential for crop improvement but regulation of genome-edited crops is still in its infancy. Here, we extensively reviewed the availability of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing tools for plant biotechnologists to target desired genes and its vast applications in crop breeding research.


Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 797
Author(s):  
Muntazir Mushtaq ◽  
Aejaz Ahmad Dar ◽  
Milan Skalicky ◽  
Anshika Tyagi ◽  
Nancy Bhagat ◽  
...  

Genome-editing (GE) is having a tremendous influence around the globe in the life science community. Among its versatile uses, the desired modifications of genes, and more importantly the transgene (DNA)-free approach to develop genetically modified organism (GMO), are of special interest. The recent and rapid developments in genome-editing technology have given rise to hopes to achieve global food security in a sustainable manner. We here discuss recent developments in CRISPR-based genome-editing tools for crop improvement concerning adaptation, opportunities, and challenges. Some of the notable advances highlighted here include the development of transgene (DNA)-free genome plants, the availability of compatible nucleases, and the development of safe and effective CRISPR delivery vehicles for plant genome editing, multi-gene targeting and complex genome editing, base editing and prime editing to achieve more complex genetic engineering. Additionally, new avenues that facilitate fine-tuning plant gene regulation have also been addressed. In spite of the tremendous potential of CRISPR and other gene editing tools, major challenges remain. Some of the challenges are related to the practical advances required for the efficient delivery of CRISPR reagents and for precision genome editing, while others come from government policies and public acceptance. This review will therefore be helpful to gain insights into technological advances, its applications, and future challenges for crop improvement.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document