Author
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SCHAEFFER, SCOTT - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC) |
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Nakata, Paul |
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Submitted to: Plant Science
Publication Type: Review Article Publication Acceptance Date: 9/9/2015 Publication Date: 11/1/2015 Citation: Schaeffer, S.M., Nakata, P.A. 2015. CRISPR/Cas9 mediated genome editing and gene insertion in plants: Transitioning from lab to field. Plant Science. 240:130-142. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: The CRISPR/Cas9 genome engineering system has ignited and swept through the scientific community like wildfire. Owing largely to its efficiency, specificity, and flexibility, the CRISPR/Cas9 system has quickly become the preferred genome-editing tool of plant scientists. In plants, much of the early CRISPR/Cas9 work has been limited to proof of concept and functional studies in model systems. These studies, along with those in other fields of biology, have led to the development of several utilities of CRISPR/Cas9 beyond single gene editing. Such utilities include multiplexing for inducing multiple cleavage events, controlling gene expression, and site specific transgene insertion. With much of the conceptual CRISPR/Cas9 work nearly complete, plant researchers are beginning to apply this gene editing technology for crop trait improvement. Before rational strategies can be designed to implement this technology to engineer a wide array of crops there is a need to expand the availability of crop-specific vectors, genome resources, and transformation protocols. We anticipate that these challenges will be met along with the continued evolution of the CRISPR/Cas9 system particularly in the areas of cisgenics, trait stacking, gene discovery, and nucleic acid cleavage technologies. The CRISPR/Cas9 editing system appears poised to transform crop trait improvement. |
