Genome Editing: Targeting Susceptibility Genes for Plant Disease Resistance. Issue 9 (September 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zaidi, Syed Shan-e-Ali; Mukhtar, M. Shahid; Mansoor, Shahid
• Is Part Of: Trends in biotechnology. Volume 36:Issue 9(2018)
• Page Start: 898
• Page End: 906
• Publication Date: 2018-09
• Subjects: disease resistance -- susceptibility genes -- plant genome editing -- CRISPR–Cas9 -- new breeding technologies -- transgene free; Biotechnology -- Periodicals; Biochemical engineering -- Periodicals; Genetic engineering -- Periodicals; Industrial microbiology -- Periodicals; 660.605
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2018.04.005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0167-7799

Abstract

Abstract : Plant pathogens pose a major threat to crop productivity. Typically, phytopathogens exploit plants' susceptibility (S) genes to facilitate their proliferation. Disrupting these S genes may interfere with the compatibility between the host and the pathogens and consequently provide broad-spectrum and durable disease resistance. In the past, genetic manipulation of such S genes has been shown to confer disease resistance in various economically important crops. Recent studies have accomplished this task in a transgene-free system using new genome editing tools, including clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR). In this Opinion article, we focus on the use of genome editing to target S genes for the development of transgene-free and durable disease-resistant crop varieties. Highlights: CRISPR has emerged as a revolutionary tool for plant genome editing. Although developed recently, it has been established in several important plant species, including rice, wheat, and maize, to introduce agronomically important traits such as heat/cold tolerance, disease resistance, herbicide tolerance, and yield improvement. Transgene-free methods are being introduced in CRISPR-mediated plant genome editing, such as segregating out transgenes, delivering the ribonucleoprotein complex of Cas9 and gRNA through particle bombardment or using a protoplast system, and using viral vectors for editing germline cells. Targeting susceptibility (S) genes using CRISPR methodologies offers new frontiers to break molecular plant–microbe compatibility and introducing durable pathogen resistance.