A Yellow Mosaic Disease of Soybean in Northern India is Caused by Cotton leaf curl Kokhran virus

Founder transformants of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) obtained through the introduction of DS-Red, Rec, Rep and CRISPR/Cas9 expressing constructs for developing base lines of recombinase mediated gene stacking

Cotton being the major fiber crop across the world is exposed to numerous biotic and abiotic stresses. Genetic transformation of cotton is vital to meet the world’s food, feed and fiber demands. Genetic manipulation by randomly transferring the genes emanate variable gene expression. Targeted gene insertion by latest genome editing tools results in predictable expression of genes at a specified location. Gene stacking technology emerged as an adaptive strategy to combat biotic and abiotic stresses by integrating 2–3 genes simultaneously and at a specific site to avoid variable gene expression at diverse locations. This study explains the development of cotton’s founder transformants to be used as a base line for multiple gene stacking projects. We introduced Cre and PhiC31 mediated recombination sites to specify the locus of incoming genes. CRISPR-Cas9 gene was integrated for developing CRISPR based founder lines of cotton. Cas9 gene along with gRNA was integrated to target Rep (replication) region of cotton leaf curl virus. Replication region of virus was specifically targeted to diminish further proliferation and preventing the virus to develop new strains. To successfully develop these primary transformants, a model transformation system has been optimized with the red color visualization (DS-Red). Following red color transformation system, three baselines with recombination specified site (Rec), targeted replication region (Rep) and Cas9 founder lines have been developed. These founder transformants are useful for developing recombinase mediated and CRISPR/Cas9 based originator lines of cotton. Moreover, these transformants will set up a base system for all the recombinase mediated gene stacking projects.

Genetic diversity and phylogeography of begomoviruses infecting legumes in Pakistan

Grain legumes are an important source of dietary protein across southern Asia, but they suffer extensive losses due to several viruses that are members of the genus Begomovirus (family Geminiviridae), which are collectively known as legume yellow mosaic viruses (LYMVs). Despite their economic importance, little attention has been paid to LYMVs in Pakistan and only partial sequences of virus isolates originating from this country are available in the databases. Here, a survey of LYMVs occurring across Pakistan is described. Complete sequences of 44 components (23 DNA-A, 19 DNA-B and 2 betasatellites) were determined. The results show that only the mungbean yellow mosaic India virus (MYMIV) is of agricultural significance in Pakistan having been isolated from all cultivated grain legumes examined. Mungbean yellow mosaic virus, a significant crop pathogen in India, was only identified in a weed, which together with a novel species of LYMV we reported earlier, represents the first LYMV identified in non-cultivated plants. MYMIV was shown to occur as two types in Pakistan that show phylogeographical segregation. Additionally, two begomovirus species not considered pathogens of legumes and a betasatellite were isolated. This is of grave concern since it suggests that the presumed genetic isolation of the LYMVs in legumes may be being breached. LYMVs show little, if any, evidence of interspecific recombination with non-legume infecting begomoviruses. Thus, either recombination with non-legume viruses or interaction with betasatellites, which are host range and pathogenicity determining satellites of begomoviruses, could lead to the appearance of more aggressive virus variants/strains affecting legumes.