scholarly journals Current Advancements and Limitations of Gene Editing in Orphan Crops

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Venezia ◽  
Kate M. Creasey Krainer
Keyword(s):  
Gene Editing ◽  
Crop Improvement ◽  
Screening Methods ◽  
In Planta ◽  
Base Editing ◽  
Guide Rna ◽  
Orphan Crops ◽  
Associated Proteins ◽  
Improvement Programs ◽  
Novel Alleles

Gene editing provides precise, heritable genome mutagenesis without permanent transgenesis, and has been widely demonstrated and applied in planta. In the past decade, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated proteins (Cas) has revolutionized the application of gene editing in crops, with mechanistic advances expanding its potential, including prime editing and base editing. To date, CRISPR/Cas has been utilized in over a dozen orphan crops with diverse genetic backgrounds, leading to novel alleles and beneficial phenotypes for breeders, growers, and consumers. In conjunction with the adoption of science-based regulatory practices, there is potential for CRISPR/Cas-mediated gene editing in orphan crop improvement programs to solve a plethora of agricultural problems, especially impacting developing countries. Genome sequencing has progressed, becoming more affordable and applicable to orphan crops. Open-access resources allow for target gene identification and guide RNA (gRNA) design and evaluation, with modular cloning systems and enzyme screening methods providing experimental feasibility. While the genomic and mechanistic limitations are being overcome, crop transformation and regeneration continue to be the bottleneck for gene editing applications. International collaboration between all stakeholders involved in crop improvement is vital to provide equitable access and bridge the scientific gap between the world’s most economically important crops and the most under-researched crops. This review describes the mechanisms and workflow of CRISPR/Cas in planta and addresses the challenges, current applications, and future prospects in orphan crops.

scholarly journals Genomics and breeding innovations for enhancing genetic gain for climate resilience and nutrition traits

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pallavi Sinha ◽  
Vikas K. Singh ◽  
Abhishek Bohra ◽  
Arvind Kumar ◽  
Jochen C. Reif ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Methods ◽  
Genetic Gain ◽  
Crop Improvement ◽  
Breeding Population ◽  
Breeding Cycle ◽  
Climate Resilience ◽  
Heritability Estimation ◽  
Improvement Programs ◽  
Statistical Designs ◽  
Novel Alleles

Abstract Key message Integrating genomics technologies and breeding methods to tweak core parameters of the breeder’s equation could accelerate delivery of climate-resilient and nutrient rich crops for future food security. Abstract Accelerating genetic gain in crop improvement programs with respect to climate resilience and nutrition traits, and the realization of the improved gain in farmers’ fields require integration of several approaches. This article focuses on innovative approaches to address core components of the breeder’s equation. A prerequisite to enhancing genetic variance (σ2g) is the identification or creation of favorable alleles/haplotypes and their deployment for improving key traits. Novel alleles for new and existing target traits need to be accessed and added to the breeding population while maintaining genetic diversity. Selection intensity (i) in the breeding program can be improved by testing a larger population size, enabled by the statistical designs with minimal replications and high-throughput phenotyping. Selection priorities and criteria to select appropriate portion of the population too assume an important role. The most important component of breeder′s equation is heritability (h2). Heritability estimates depend on several factors including the size and the type of population and the statistical methods. The present article starts with a brief discussion on the potential ways to enhance σ2g in the population. We highlight statistical methods and experimental designs that could improve trait heritability estimation. We also offer a perspective on reducing the breeding cycle time (t), which could be achieved through the selection of appropriate parents, optimizing the breeding scheme, rapid fixation of target alleles, and combining speed breeding with breeding programs to optimize trials for release. Finally, we summarize knowledge from multiple disciplines for enhancing genetic gains for climate resilience and nutritional traits.

Gene editing in tomatoes

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joyce Van Eck
Keyword(s):  
Gene Editing ◽  
Crop Improvement ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Dna Uptake ◽  
Food Crop ◽  
Transcription Activator ◽  
Base Editing ◽  
Crop Models ◽  
Functional Studies ◽  
Tomato Transformation

Tomato is an effective model plant species because it possesses the qualities necessary for genetic and functional studies, but is also a food crop making what is learned more translatable for crop improvement when compared with other non-food crop models. The availability of genome sequences for many genotypes and amenability to transformation methodologies (Agrobacterium-mediated, direct DNA uptake via protoplasts, biolistics) make tomato the perfect platform to study the application of gene-editing technologies. This review includes information related to tomato transformation methodology, one of the necessary requirements for gene editing, along with the status of site-directed mutagenesis by TALENs (transcription activator-like effector nucleases) and CRISPR/Cas (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated Proteins). In addition to the reports on proof-of-concept experiments to demonstrate the feasibility of gene editing in tomato, there are many reports that show the power of these technologies for modification of traits, such as fruit characteristics (ripening, size, and parthenocarpy), pathogen susceptibility, architecture (plant and inflorescence), and metabolic engineering. Also highlighted in this review are reports on the application of a recent CRISPR technology called base editing that allows the modification of one base pair in a gene sequence and a strategy that takes advantage of a geminivirus replicon for delivery of DNA repair template.

Progress in precise and predictable genome editing in plants with base editing

2021 ◽  
pp. 123-146
Author(s):  
Sabine Fräbel ◽  
◽  
Shai J. Lawit ◽  
Jingyi Nie ◽  
David G. Schwark ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nucleic Acid ◽  
Genome Editing ◽  
Gene Editing ◽  
In Planta ◽  
Reading Frame ◽  
Base Editing ◽  
Adenine Base

Base editors are gene editing tools that allow targeted nucleic acid conversions, most commonly C>T and A>G, through pairing of deamination domains with impaired nucleases. Multiple deaminase domains and architectures have been demonstrated in planta across a wide array of species, with both cytosine and adenine base editing frequencies being observed at over 80%. The ability of base editors to introduce nucleic acid diversity while maintaining the same reading frame should make them powerful tools for plant genetic editing moving forward.

scholarly journals Next-Generation Breeding Strategies for Climate-Ready Crops

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Razzaq ◽  
Parwinder Kaur ◽  
Naheed Akhter ◽  
Shabir Hussain Wani ◽  
Fozia Saleem
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Crop Improvement ◽  
Crop Productivity ◽  
Gene Repertoire ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Base Editing ◽  
Global Food Security ◽  
Improvement Programs ◽  
Global Food

Climate change is a threat to global food security due to the reduction of crop productivity around the globe. Food security is a matter of concern for stakeholders and policymakers as the global population is predicted to bypass 10 billion in the coming years. Crop improvement via modern breeding techniques along with efficient agronomic practices innovations in microbiome applications, and exploiting the natural variations in underutilized crops is an excellent way forward to fulfill future food requirements. In this review, we describe the next-generation breeding tools that can be used to increase crop production by developing climate-resilient superior genotypes to cope with the future challenges of global food security. Recent innovations in genomic-assisted breeding (GAB) strategies allow the construction of highly annotated crop pan-genomes to give a snapshot of the full landscape of genetic diversity (GD) and recapture the lost gene repertoire of a species. Pan-genomes provide new platforms to exploit these unique genes or genetic variation for optimizing breeding programs. The advent of next-generation clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat/CRISPR-associated (CRISPR/Cas) systems, such as prime editing, base editing, and de nova domestication, has institutionalized the idea that genome editing is revamped for crop improvement. Also, the availability of versatile Cas orthologs, including Cas9, Cas12, Cas13, and Cas14, improved the editing efficiency. Now, the CRISPR/Cas systems have numerous applications in crop research and successfully edit the major crop to develop resistance against abiotic and biotic stress. By adopting high-throughput phenotyping approaches and big data analytics tools like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), agriculture is heading toward automation or digitalization. The integration of speed breeding with genomic and phenomic tools can allow rapid gene identifications and ultimately accelerate crop improvement programs. In addition, the integration of next-generation multidisciplinary breeding platforms can open exciting avenues to develop climate-ready crops toward global food security.

scholarly journals Multiplex nucleotide editing by high-fidelity Cas9 variants with improved efficiency in rice

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wen Xu ◽  
Wei Song ◽  
Yongxing Yang ◽  
Ying Wu ◽  
Xinxin Lv ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genome Editing ◽  
Genome Engineering ◽  
Crop Improvement ◽  
High Fidelity ◽  
Knock Out ◽  
Base Editing ◽  
Guide Rna ◽  
Genome Modification ◽  
Targeted Genome Modification ◽  
Target Effect

Abstract Background Application of the CRISPR/Cas9 system or its derived base editors enables targeted genome modification, thereby providing a programmable tool to exploit gene functions and to improve crop traits. Results We report that PmCDA1 is much more efficient than rAPOBEC1 when fused to CRISPR/Cas9 nickase for the conversion of cytosine (C) to thymine (T) in rice. Three high-fidelity SpCas9 variants, eSpCas9(1.1), SpCas9-HF2 and HypaCas9, were engineered to serve with PmCDA1 (pBEs) as C-to-T base editors. These three high-fidelity editors had distinct multiplex-genome editing efficiencies. To substantially improve their base-editing efficiencies, a tandemly arrayed tRNA-modified single guide RNA (sgRNA) architecture was applied. The efficiency of eSpCas9(1.1)-pBE was enhanced up to 25.5-fold with an acceptable off-target effect. Moreover, two- to five-fold improvement was observed for knock-out mutation frequency by these high-fidelity Cas9s under the direction of the tRNA-modified sgRNA architecture. Conclusions We have engineered a diverse toolkit for efficient and precise genome engineering in rice, thus making genome editing for plant research and crop improvement more flexible.

scholarly journals Genome Editing in Plants: Exploration of Technological Advancements and Challenges

Cells ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 1386 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanskriti Vats ◽  
Surbhi Kumawat ◽  
Virender Kumar ◽  
Gunvant B. Patil ◽  
Trupti Joshi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genome Editing ◽  
Abiotic Stress Tolerance ◽  
Crop Improvement ◽  
Crop Plants ◽  
Present Review ◽  
Specific Gene ◽  
Technological Advancement ◽  
Biotic And Abiotic Stress ◽  
Guide Rna ◽  
Improvement Programs

Genome-editing, a recent technological advancement in the field of life sciences, is one of the great examples of techniques used to explore the understanding of the biological phenomenon. Besides having different site-directed nucleases for genome editing over a decade ago, the CRISPR/Cas (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein) based genome editing approach has become a choice of technique due to its simplicity, ease of access, cost, and flexibility. In the present review, several CRISPR/Cas based approaches have been discussed, considering recent advances and challenges to implicate those in the crop improvement programs. Successful examples where CRISPR/Cas approach has been used to improve the biotic and abiotic stress tolerance, and traits related to yield and plant architecture have been discussed. The review highlights the challenges to implement the genome editing in polyploid crop plants like wheat, canola, and sugarcane. Challenges for plants difficult to transform and germline-specific gene expression have been discussed. We have also discussed the notable progress with multi-target editing approaches based on polycistronic tRNA processing, Csy4 endoribonuclease, intron processing, and Drosha ribonuclease. Potential to edit multiple targets simultaneously makes it possible to take up more challenging tasks required to engineer desired crop plants. Similarly, advances like precision gene editing, promoter bashing, and methylome-editing will also be discussed. The present review also provides a catalog of available computational tools and servers facilitating designing of guide-RNA targets, construct designs, and data analysis. The information provided here will be useful for the efficient exploration of technological advances in genome editing field for the crop improvement programs.

scholarly journals Utilizing CRISPR-Cas in Tropical Crop Improvement: A Decision Process for Fitting Genome Engineering to Your Species

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen A. Joo ◽  
Michael G. Muszynski ◽  
Michael B. Kantar ◽  
Ming-Li Wang ◽  
Xiaoling He ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Editing ◽  
Genome Engineering ◽  
Crop Improvement ◽  
Screening Methods ◽  
Decision Points ◽  
Trait Improvement ◽  
Tropical Crop ◽  
Transformation Methods ◽  
Cas Gene

Adopting modern gene-editing technologies for trait improvement in agriculture requires important workflow developments, yet these developments are not often discussed. Using tropical crop systems as a case study, we describe a workflow broken down into discrete processes with specific steps and decision points that allow for the practical application of the CRISPR-Cas gene editing platform in a crop of interest. While we present the steps of developing genome-edited plants as sequential, in practice parts can be done in parallel, which are discussed in this perspective. The main processes include 1) understanding the genetic basis of the trait along with having the crop’s genome sequence, 2) testing and optimization of the editing reagents, development of efficient 3) tissue culture and 4) transformation methods, and 5) screening methods to identify edited events with commercial potential. Our goal in this perspective is to help any lab that wishes to implement this powerful, easy-to-use tool in their pipeline, thus aiming to democratize the technology.

scholarly journals Improved Transformation and Regeneration of Indica Rice: Disruption of SUB1A as a Test Case via CRISPR-Cas9

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (13) ◽  
pp. 6989
Author(s):  
Yuya Liang ◽  
Sudip Biswas ◽  
Backki Kim ◽  
Julia Bailey-Serres ◽  
Endang M. Septiningsih
Keyword(s):  
Gene Editing ◽  
Indica Rice ◽  
Crop Improvement ◽  
Immature Embryo ◽  
Test Case ◽  
Submergence Tolerance ◽  
Embryogenic Calli ◽  
Submergence Stress ◽  
Efficient Vector ◽  
Vector Delivery

Gene editing by use of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) has become a powerful tool for crop improvement. However, a common bottleneck in the application of this approach to grain crops, including rice (Oryza sativa), is efficient vector delivery and calli regeneration, which can be hampered by genotype-dependent requirements for plant regeneration. Here, methods for Agrobacterium-mediated and biolistic transformation and regeneration of indica rice were optimized using CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing of the submergence tolerance regulator SUBMERGENCE 1A-1 gene of the cultivar Ciherang-Sub1. Callus induction and plantlet regeneration methods were optimized for embryogenic calli derived from immature embryos and mature seed-derived calli. Optimized regeneration (95%) and maximal editing efficiency (100%) were obtained from the immature embryo-derived calli. Phenotyping of T1 seeds derived from the edited T0 plants under submergence stress demonstrated inferior phenotype compared to their controls, which phenotypically validates the disruption of SUB1A-1 function. The methods pave the way for rapid CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing of recalcitrant indica rice cultivars.

scholarly journals Application of CRISPR/Cas9 technology in wild apple (Malus sieverii) for paired sites gene editing

Plant Methods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Zhang ◽  
Ping Zhou ◽  
Tohir A. Bozorov ◽  
Daoyuan Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Abiotic Stress ◽  
Human Activities ◽  
Genetic Improvement ◽  
Gene Editing ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Tianshan Mountains ◽  
Biotic And Abiotic Stress ◽  
Guide Rna ◽  
Cas9 Protein ◽  
Albino Phenotype

Abstract Background Xinjiang wild apple is an important tree of the Tianshan Mountains, and in recent years, it has undergone destruction by many biotic and abiotic stress and human activities. It is necessary to use new technologies to research its genomic function and molecular improvement. The clustered regulatory interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein (Cas) system has been successfully applied to genetic improvement in many crops, but its editing capability varies depending on the different combinations of the synthetic guide RNA (sgRNA) and Cas9 protein expression devices. Results In this study, we used 2 systems of vectors with paired sgRNAs targeting to MsPDS. As expected, we successfully induced the albino phenotype of calli and buds in both systems. Conclusions We conclude that CRISPR/Cas9 is a powerful system for editing the wild apple genome and expands the range of plants available for gene editing.

scholarly journals Non-viral delivery of CRISPR–Cas9 complexes for targeted gene editing via a polymer delivery system

Gene Therapy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan O’Keeffe Ahern ◽  
Irene Lara-Sáez ◽  
Dezhong Zhou ◽  
Rodolfo Murillas ◽  
Jose Bonafont ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Delivery System ◽  
Gene Editing ◽  
Transfection Efficiency ◽  
Attractive Alternative ◽  
Safe Delivery ◽  
Guide Rna ◽  
Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa ◽  
Targeted Gene Editing ◽  
Genomic Editing ◽  
Polymeric Vectors

AbstractRecent advances in molecular biology have led to the CRISPR revolution, but the lack of an efficient and safe delivery system into cells and tissues continues to hinder clinical translation of CRISPR approaches. Polymeric vectors offer an attractive alternative to viruses as delivery vectors due to their large packaging capacity and safety profile. In this paper, we have demonstrated the potential use of a highly branched poly(β-amino ester) polymer, HPAE-EB, to enable genomic editing via CRISPRCas9-targeted genomic excision of exon 80 in the COL7A1 gene, through a dual-guide RNA sequence system. The biophysical properties of HPAE-EB were screened in a human embryonic 293 cell line (HEK293), to elucidate optimal conditions for efficient and cytocompatible delivery of a DNA construct encoding Cas9 along with two RNA guides, obtaining 15–20% target genomic excision. When translated to human recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) keratinocytes, transfection efficiency and targeted genomic excision dropped. However, upon delivery of CRISPR–Cas9 as a ribonucleoprotein complex, targeted genomic deletion of exon 80 was increased to over 40%. Our study provides renewed perspective for the further development of polymer delivery systems for application in the gene editing field in general, and specifically for the treatment of RDEB.

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