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Sardar A. Genetic amelioration of fruit and vegetable crops to increase biotic and abiotic stress resistance through CRISPR Genome Editing. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1260102. [PMID: 37841604 PMCID: PMC10570431 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1260102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Environmental changes and increasing population are major concerns for crop production and food security as a whole. To address this, researchers had focussed on the improvement of cereals and pulses and have made considerable progress till the beginning of this decade. However, cereals and pulses together, without vegetables and fruits, are inadequate to meet the dietary and nutritional demands of human life. Production of good quality vegetables and fruits is highly challenging owing to their perishable nature and short shelf life as well as abiotic and biotic stresses encountered during pre- and post-harvest. Genetic engineering approaches to produce good quality, to increase shelf life and stress-resistance, and to change the time of flowering and fruit ripening by introducing foreign genes to produce genetically modified crops were quite successful. However, several biosafety concerns, such as the risk of transgene-outcrossing, limited their production, marketing, and consumption. Modern genome editing techniques, like the CRISPR/Cas9 system, provide a perfect solution in this scenario, as it can produce transgene-free genetically edited plants. Hence, these genetically edited plants can easily satisfy the biosafety norms for crop production and consumption. This review highlights the potential of the CRISPR/Cas9 system for the successful generation of abiotic and biotic stress resistance and thereby improving the quality, yield, and overall productivity of vegetables and fruits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atish Sardar
- Department of Botany, Jogesh Chandra Chaudhuri College, West Bengal, Kolkata, India
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Wang D, Chen Y, Zhu T, Wang J, Liu M, Tian S, Wang J, Yuan L. Developing a highly efficient CGBE base editor in watermelon. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2023; 10:uhad155. [PMID: 37719272 PMCID: PMC10500149 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhad155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Cytosine and adenosine base editors (CBEs and ABEs) are novel genome-editing tools that have been widely utilized in molecular breeding to precisely modify single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) critical for plant agronomic traits and species evolution. However, conventional BE editors are limited to achieve C-to-T and A-to-G substitutions, respectively. To enhance the applicability of base editing technology in watermelon, we developed an efficient CGBE editor (SCGBE2.0) by removing the uracil glycosylase inhibitor (UGI) unit from the commonly used hA3A-CBE and incorporating the uracil-DNA glycosylase (UNG) component. Seven specific guide RNAs (sgRNAs) targeting five watermelon genes were designed to assess the editing efficiency of SCGBE. The results obtained from stably transformed watermelon plants demonstrated that SCGBE2.0 could efficiently induce C-to-G mutations at positions C5-C9 in 43.2% transgenic plants (with a maximum base conversion efficiency of 46.1%) and C-to-A mutation at position C4 in 23.5% transgenic plants (with a maximum base conversion efficiency of 45.9%). These findings highlight the capability of our integrated SCGBE2.0 editor to achieve C-to-G/A mutations in a site-preferred manner, thus providing an efficient base editing tool for precise base modification and site-directed saturated mutagenesis in watermelon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yani Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Tao Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jie Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Man Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Shujuan Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jiafa Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Li Yuan
- Corresponding author. E-mail:
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Ahmad N, Fatima S, Mehmood MA, Zaman QU, Atif RM, Zhou W, Rahman MU, Gill RA. Targeted genome editing in polyploids: lessons from Brassica. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1152468. [PMID: 37409308 PMCID: PMC10318174 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1152468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
CRISPR-mediated genome editing has emerged as a powerful tool for creating targeted mutations in the genome for various applications, including studying gene functions, engineering resilience against biotic and abiotic stresses, and increasing yield and quality. However, its utilization is limited to model crops for which well-annotated genome sequences are available. Many crops of dietary and economic importance, such as wheat, cotton, rapeseed-mustard, and potato, are polyploids with complex genomes. Therefore, progress in these crops has been hampered due to genome complexity. Excellent work has been conducted on some species of Brassica for its improvement through genome editing. Although excellent work has been conducted on some species of Brassica for genome improvement through editing, work on polyploid crops, including U's triangle species, holds numerous implications for improving other polyploid crops. In this review, we summarize key examples from genome editing work done on Brassica and discuss important considerations for deploying CRISPR-mediated genome editing more efficiently in other polyploid crops for improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niaz Ahmad
- National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering College, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Samia Fatima
- National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering College, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Aamer Mehmood
- Department of Bioinformatics & Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Qamar U. Zaman
- Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory, Sanya Nanfan Research Institute of Hainan University, Sanya, China
- College of Tropical Crops, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Rana Muhammad Atif
- National Center of Genome Editing, Center of Advanced Studies, Agriculture and Food Security, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
- Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Weijun Zhou
- Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Key Lab of Spectroscopy Sensing, Institute of Crop Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mehboob-ur Rahman
- National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering College, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Rafaqat Ali Gill
- Key Laboratory for Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
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Nakagami S, Aoyama T, Sato Y, Kajiwara T, Ishida T, Sawa S. CLE3 and its homologs share overlapping functions in the modulation of lateral root formation through CLV1 and BAM1 in Arabidopsis thaliana. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 113:1176-1191. [PMID: 36628476 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Lateral roots are important for a wide range of processes, including uptake of water and nutrients. The CLAVATA3 (CLV3)/EMBRYO SURROUNDING REGION-RELATED (CLE) 1 ~ 7 peptide family and their cognate receptor CLV1 have been shown to negatively regulate lateral root formation under low-nitrate conditions. However, little is known about how CLE signaling regulates lateral root formation. A persistent obstacle in CLE peptide research is their functional redundancies, which makes functional analyses difficult. To address this problem, we generate the cle1 ~ 7 septuple mutant (cle1 ~ 7-cr1, cr stands for mutant allele generated with CRISPR/Cas9). cle1 ~ 7-cr1 exhibits longer lateral roots under normal conditions. Specifically, in cle1 ~ 7-cr1, the lateral root density is increased, and lateral root primordia initiation is found to be accelerated. Further analysis shows that cle3 single mutant exhibits slightly longer lateral roots. On the other hand, plants that overexpress CLE2 and CLE3 exhibit decreased lateral root lengths. To explore cognate receptor(s) of CLE2 and CLE3, we analyze lateral root lengths in clv1 barely any meristem 1(bam1) double mutant. Mutating both the CLV1 and BAM1 causes longer lateral roots, but not in each single mutant. In addition, genetic analysis reveals that CLV1 and BAM1 are epistatic to CLE2 and CLE3. Furthermore, gene expression analysis shows that the LATERAL ORGAN BOUNDARIES DOMAIN/ASYMMETRIC LEAVES2-LIKE (LBD/ASL) genes, which promote lateral root formation, are upregulated in cle1 ~ 7-cr1 and clv1 bam1. We therefore propose that CLE2 and CLE3 peptides are perceived by CLV1 and BAM1 to mediate lateral root formation through LBDs regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoru Nakagami
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-8555, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Aoyama
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules, Nagoya University, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan
| | - Yoshikatsu Sato
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules, Nagoya University, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan
| | - Taiki Kajiwara
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-8555, Japan
| | - Takashi Ishida
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-8555, Japan
- International Research Organization for Advanced Science and Technology (IROAST), Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-8555, Japan
| | - Shinichiro Sawa
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-8555, Japan
- International Research Organization for Advanced Science and Technology (IROAST), Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-8555, Japan
- International Research Center for Agriculture and Environmental Biology, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-8555, Japan
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Rahman MU, Zulfiqar S, Raza MA, Ahmad N, Zhang B. Engineering Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Crop Plants through CRISPR Genome Editing. Cells 2022; 11:cells11223590. [PMID: 36429019 PMCID: PMC9688763 DOI: 10.3390/cells11223590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental abiotic stresses challenge food security by depressing crop yields often exceeding 50% of their annual production. Different methods, including conventional as well as genomic-assisted breeding, mutagenesis, and genetic engineering have been utilized to enhance stress resilience in several crop species. Plant breeding has been partly successful in developing crop varieties against abiotic stresses owning to the complex genetics of the traits as well as the narrow genetic base in the germplasm. Irrespective of the fact that genetic engineering can transfer gene(s) from any organism(s), transgenic crops have become controversial mainly due to the potential risk of transgene-outcrossing. Consequently, the cultivation of transgenic crops is banned in certain countries, particularly in European countries. In this scenario, the discovery of the CRISPR tool provides a platform for producing transgene-free genetically edited plants-similar to the mutagenized crops that are not extensively regulated such as genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Thus, the genome-edited plants without a transgene would likely go into the field without any restriction. Here, we focused on the deployment of CRISPR for the successful development of abiotic stress-tolerant crop plants for sustaining crop productivity under changing environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehboob-ur Rahman
- Plant Genomics and Molecular Breeding Laboratory, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering College, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (NIBGE-C, PIEAS), Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
- Correspondence: (M.-u.R.); (B.Z.)
| | - Sana Zulfiqar
- Plant Genomics and Molecular Breeding Laboratory, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering College, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (NIBGE-C, PIEAS), Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Ahmad Raza
- Plant Genomics and Molecular Breeding Laboratory, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering College, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (NIBGE-C, PIEAS), Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Niaz Ahmad
- Plant Genomics and Molecular Breeding Laboratory, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering College, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (NIBGE-C, PIEAS), Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Baohong Zhang
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
- Correspondence: (M.-u.R.); (B.Z.)
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Using Staphylococcus aureus Cas9 to Expand the Scope of Potential Gene Targets for Genome Editing in Soybean. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232112789. [DOI: 10.3390/ijms232112789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat)/Cas (CRISPR-associated) is a revolutionary genome editing technology that has been used to achieve site-specific gene knock-out, large fragment deletion, or base editing in many plant species including soybean (Glycinemax). The Streptococcuspyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9) is widely used in plants at present, although there are some reports describing the application of CRISPR/Cpf1 in soybean. Therefore, the selection range of PAM (protospacer adjacent motif) sequences for soybean is currently limited to 5′-NGG-3′ (SpCas9) or 5′-TTTN-3′ (Cpf1), which in turn limits the number of genes that can be mutated. Another Cas9 enzyme from Staphylococcus aureus (SaCas9) recognizes the PAM sequence 5′-NNGRRT-3′ (where R represents A or G), which can provide a wider range of potential target sequences. In this study, we developed a CRISPR/SaCas9 system and used this tool to specifically induce targeted mutations at five target sites in the GmFT2a (Glyma.16G150700) and GmFT5a (Glyma.16G044100) genes in soybean hairy roots. We demonstrated that this tool can recognize the PAM sequences 5′-AAGGGT-3′, 5′-GGGGAT-3′, 5′-TTGAAT-3′, and 5′-TAGGGT-3′ in soybean, and it achieved mutation rates ranging from 34.5% to 73.3%. Our results show that we have established a highly efficient CRISPR/SaCas9 tool that is as suitable as SpCas9 for genome editing in soybean, and it will be useful for expanding the range of target sequences for genome editing.
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Mattiello L, Rütgers M, Sua-Rojas MF, Tavares R, Soares JS, Begcy K, Menossi M. Molecular and Computational Strategies to Increase the Efficiency of CRISPR-Based Techniques. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:868027. [PMID: 35712599 PMCID: PMC9194676 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.868027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The prokaryote-derived Clustered Regularly Interspaced Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/Cas mediated gene editing tools have revolutionized our ability to precisely manipulate specific genome sequences in plants and animals. The simplicity, precision, affordability, and robustness of this technology have allowed a myriad of genomes from a diverse group of plant species to be successfully edited. Even though CRISPR/Cas, base editing, and prime editing technologies have been rapidly adopted and implemented in plants, their editing efficiency rate and specificity varies greatly. In this review, we provide a critical overview of the recent advances in CRISPR/Cas9-derived technologies and their implications on enhancing editing efficiency. We highlight the major efforts of engineering Cas9, Cas12a, Cas12b, and Cas12f proteins aiming to improve their efficiencies. We also provide a perspective on the global future of agriculturally based products using DNA-free CRISPR/Cas techniques. The improvement of CRISPR-based technologies efficiency will enable the implementation of genome editing tools in a variety of crop plants, as well as accelerate progress in basic research and molecular breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Mattiello
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Mark Rütgers
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Maria Fernanda Sua-Rojas
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Rafael Tavares
- Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - José Sérgio Soares
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Kevin Begcy
- Environmental Horticulture Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Marcelo Menossi
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
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Movahedi A, Hajiahmadi Z, Wei H, Yang L, Ruan H, Zhuge Q. A Method to Reduce off-Targets in CRISPR/Cas9 System in Plants. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2408:317-324. [PMID: 35325432 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1875-2_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
One of the strategies to reduce the off-target mutations in CRISPR/Cas9 system is to use the temperature-independent gene transformation method. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs)-gene delivery system is temperature-independent; thus, it can transfer the interesting plasmid (pDNA) to the target plant at different temperatures, including 37 °C. Due to the high activity of SpCas9 at 37 °C compared to lower temperatures, on-target mutagenesis increases at 37 °C. Therefore, we describe the synthesis of the functionalized MSNs with the particle size of less than 40 nm, binding pDNA to the MSNs, and transferring of the pDNA-MSNs into the target plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Movahedi
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics & Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Zahra Hajiahmadi
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran
| | - Hui Wei
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics & Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Liming Yang
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics & Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Honghua Ruan
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics & Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qiang Zhuge
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics & Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
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Hassan MM, Zhang Y, Yuan G, De K, Chen JG, Muchero W, Tuskan GA, Qi Y, Yang X. Construct design for CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing in plants. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 26:1133-1152. [PMID: 34340931 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2021.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
CRISPR construct design is a key step in the practice of genome editing, which includes identification of appropriate Cas proteins, design and selection of guide RNAs (gRNAs), and selection of regulatory elements to express gRNAs and Cas proteins. Here, we review the choices of CRISPR-based genome editors suited for different needs in plant genome editing applications. We consider the technical aspects of gRNA design and the associated computational tools. We also discuss strategies for the design of multiplex CRISPR constructs for high-throughput manipulation of complex biological processes or polygenic traits. We provide recommendations for different elements of CRISPR constructs and discuss the remaining challenges of CRISPR construct optimization in plant genome editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Mahmudul Hassan
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA; The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA; Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Dumki, Patuakhali-8602, Bangladesh
| | - Yingxiao Zhang
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Guoliang Yuan
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA; The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Kuntal De
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Jin-Gui Chen
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA; The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Wellington Muchero
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA; The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Gerald A Tuskan
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA; The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Yiping Qi
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, Rockville, MD 20850, USA.
| | - Xiaohan Yang
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA; The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA.
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Abstract
Fruit and vegetable crops are rich in dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals, which are vital to human health. However, many biotic stressors (such as pests and diseases) and abiotic stressors threaten crop growth, quality, and yield. Traditional breeding strategies for improving crop traits include a series of backcrosses and selection to introduce beneficial traits into fine germplasm, this process is slow and resource-intensive. The new breeding technique known as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated protein-9 (Cas9) has the potential to improve many traits rapidly and accurately, such as yield, quality, disease resistance, abiotic stress tolerance, and nutritional aspects in crops. Because of its simple operation and high mutation efficiency, this system has been applied to obtain new germplasm resources via gene-directed mutation. With the availability of whole-genome sequencing data, and information about gene function for important traits, CRISPR-Cas9 editing to precisely mutate key genes can rapidly generate new germplasm resources for the improvement of important agronomic traits. In this review, we explore this technology and its application in fruit and vegetable crops. We address the challenges, existing variants and the associated regulatory framework, and consider future applications.
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Sattar MN, Iqbal Z, Al-Khayri JM, Jain SM. Induced Genetic Variations in Fruit Trees Using New Breeding Tools: Food Security and Climate Resilience. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 10:1347. [PMID: 34371550 PMCID: PMC8309169 DOI: 10.3390/plants10071347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Fruit trees provide essential nutrients to humans by contributing to major agricultural outputs and economic growth globally. However, major constraints to sustainable agricultural productivity are the uncontrolled proliferation of the population, and biotic and abiotic stresses. Tree mutation breeding has been substantially improved using different physical and chemical mutagens. Nonetheless, tree plant breeding has certain crucial bottlenecks including a long life cycle, ploidy level, occurrence of sequence polymorphisms, nature of parthenocarpic fruit development and linkage. Genetic engineering of trees has focused on boosting quality traits such as productivity, wood quality, and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Recent technological advances in genome editing provide a unique opportunity for the genetic improvement of woody plants. This review examines application of the CRISPR-Cas system to reduce disease susceptibility, alter plant architecture, enhance fruit quality, and improve yields. Examples are discussed of the contemporary CRISPR-Cas system to engineer easily scorable PDS genes, modify lignin, and to alter the flowering onset, fertility, tree architecture and certain biotic stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Naeem Sattar
- Central Laboratories, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia; (M.N.S.); (Z.I.)
| | - Zafar Iqbal
- Central Laboratories, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia; (M.N.S.); (Z.I.)
| | - Jameel M. Al-Khayri
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, College of Agriculture and Food Sciences, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
| | - S. Mohan Jain
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, PL-27, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland;
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Li J, Xu R, Qin R, Liu X, Kong F, Wei P. Genome editing mediated by SpCas9 variants with broad non-canonical PAM compatibility in plants. MOLECULAR PLANT 2021; 14:352-360. [PMID: 33383203 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2020.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9) is the most widely used genome editing tool in plants. The editing induced by SpCas9 strictly requires a canonical NGG protospacer-adjacent motif (PAM), significantly limiting its scope of application. Recently, five SpCas9 variants, SpCas9-NRRH, SpCas9-NRCH, SpCas9-NRTH, SpG, and SpRY, were developed to recognize non-canonical PAMs in human cells. In this study, these variants were engineered for plant genome editing, and their targeted mutagenesis capabilities were comprehensively examined at various canonical and non-canonical PAM sites in rice (Oryza sativa) by stable transformation. Moreover, both cytosine base editors using a rat APOBEC1 or a human APOBEC3a and adenine base editors using a directly evolved highly compatible TadA∗-8e deaminase were developed from these SpCas9 variants. Our results demonstrated that the developed SpCas9 variants-based base editors readily generated conversions between C∙G and T∙A in the target sites with non-canonical PAMs in transgenic rice lines. Collectively, the toolbox developed in this study substantially expands the scope of SpCas9-mediated genome editing and will greatly facilitate gene disruption and precise editing in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Li
- Key Laboratory of Rice Genetic Breeding of Anhui Province, Rice Research Institute, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei 230031, P.R. China
| | - Rongfang Xu
- Key Laboratory of Rice Genetic Breeding of Anhui Province, Rice Research Institute, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei 230031, P.R. China
| | - Ruiying Qin
- Key Laboratory of Rice Genetic Breeding of Anhui Province, Rice Research Institute, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei 230031, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoshuang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Rice Genetic Breeding of Anhui Province, Rice Research Institute, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei 230031, P.R. China
| | - Fanna Kong
- Key Laboratory of Rice Genetic Breeding of Anhui Province, Rice Research Institute, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei 230031, P.R. China
| | - Pengcheng Wei
- Key Laboratory of Rice Genetic Breeding of Anhui Province, Rice Research Institute, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei 230031, P.R. China.
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Meaker GA, Hair EJ, Gorochowski TE. Advances in engineering CRISPR-Cas9 as a molecular Swiss Army knife. Synth Biol (Oxf) 2020; 5:ysaa021. [PMID: 33344779 PMCID: PMC7737000 DOI: 10.1093/synbio/ysaa021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The RNA-guided endonuclease system CRISPR-Cas9 has been extensively modified since its discovery, allowing its capabilities to extend far beyond double-stranded cleavage to high fidelity insertions, deletions and single base edits. Such innovations have been possible due to the modular architecture of CRISPR-Cas9 and the robustness of its component parts to modifications and the fusion of new functional elements. Here, we review the broad toolkit of CRISPR-Cas9-based systems now available for diverse genome-editing tasks. We provide an overview of their core molecular structure and mechanism and distil the design principles used to engineer their diverse functionalities. We end by looking beyond the biochemistry and toward the societal and ethical challenges that these CRISPR-Cas9 systems face if their transformative capabilities are to be deployed in a safe and acceptable manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace A Meaker
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Emma J Hair
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Thomas E Gorochowski
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
- BrisSynBio, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
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Directed Evolution of CRISPR/Cas Systems for Precise Gene Editing. Trends Biotechnol 2020; 39:262-273. [PMID: 32828556 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2020.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
CRISPR technology is a universal tool for genome engineering that has revolutionized biotechnology. Recently identified unique CRISPR/Cas systems, as well as re-engineered Cas proteins, have rapidly expanded the functions and applications of CRISPR/Cas systems. The structures of Cas proteins are complex, containing multiple functional domains. These protein domains are evolutionarily conserved polypeptide units that generally show independent structural or functional properties. In this review, we propose using protein domains as a new way to classify protein engineering strategies for these proteins and discuss common ways to engineer key domains to modify the functions of CRISPR/Cas systems.
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15
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Wada N, Ueta R, Osakabe Y, Osakabe K. Precision genome editing in plants: state-of-the-art in CRISPR/Cas9-based genome engineering. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2020; 20:234. [PMID: 32450802 PMCID: PMC7249668 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-020-02385-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 04/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Traditionally, generation of new plants with improved or desirable features has relied on laborious and time-consuming breeding techniques. Genome-editing technologies have led to a new era of genome engineering, enabling an effective, precise, and rapid engineering of the plant genomes. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) has emerged as a new genome-editing tool, extensively applied in various organisms, including plants. The use of CRISPR/Cas9 allows generating transgene-free genome-edited plants ("null segregants") in a short period of time. In this review, we provide a critical overview of the recent advances in CRISPR/Cas9 derived technologies for inducing mutations at target sites in the genome and controlling the expression of target genes. We highlight the major breakthroughs in applying CRISPR/Cas9 to plant engineering, and challenges toward the production of null segregants. We also provide an update on the efforts of engineering Cas9 proteins, newly discovered Cas9 variants, and novel CRISPR/Cas systems for use in plants. The application of CRISPR/Cas9 and related technologies in plant engineering will not only facilitate molecular breeding of crop plants but also accelerate progress in basic research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Wada
- Graduate School of Technology, Industrial and Social Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Risa Ueta
- Graduate School of Technology, Industrial and Social Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Yuriko Osakabe
- Graduate School of Technology, Industrial and Social Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Keishi Osakabe
- Graduate School of Technology, Industrial and Social Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan.
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Hajiahmadi Z, Movahedi A, Wei H, Li D, Orooji Y, Ruan H, Zhuge Q. Strategies to Increase On-Target and Reduce Off-Target Effects of the CRISPR/Cas9 System in Plants. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E3719. [PMID: 31366028 PMCID: PMC6696359 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20153719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Revised: 07/21/2019] [Accepted: 07/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The CRISPR/Cas9 system (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat-associated protein 9) is a powerful genome-editing tool in animals, plants, and humans. This system has some advantages, such as a high on-target mutation rate (targeting efficiency), less cost, simplicity, and high-efficiency multiplex loci editing, over conventional genome editing tools, including meganucleases, transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs). One of the crucial shortcomings of this system is unwanted mutations at off-target sites. We summarize and discuss different approaches, such as dCas9 and Cas9 paired nickase, to decrease the off-target effects in plants. According to studies, the most effective method to reduce unintended mutations is the use of ligand-dependent ribozymes called aptazymes. The single guide RNA (sgRNA)/ligand-dependent aptazyme strategy has helped researchers avoid unwanted mutations in human cells and can be used in plants as an alternative method to dramatically decrease the frequency of off-target mutations. We hope our concept provides a new, simple, and fast gene transformation and genome-editing approach, with advantages including reduced time and energy consumption, the avoidance of unwanted mutations, increased frequency of on-target changes, and no need for external forces or expensive equipment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Hajiahmadi
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics & Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht 4199613776, Iran
| | - Ali Movahedi
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics & Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
| | - Hui Wei
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics & Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Dawei Li
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics & Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Yasin Orooji
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, No. 159, Longpan Road, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Honghua Ruan
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics & Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Qiang Zhuge
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics & Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
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