Researchers have opened a transformative chapter in agricultural biotechnology by unveiling virus-induced genome editing (VIGE) techniques for Solanaceous crops, a group that includes tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplants. This cutting-edge approach dramatically simplifies the process of genetic modification, leveraging viral vectors to streamline genome editing without the need for labor-intensive tissue culture steps. This innovation is set to accelerate the development of crop varieties with superior traits, offering the potential for more sustainable, resilient, and nutritious food sources.
The traditional process of crop genetic modification is often slow and fraught with challenges, from intricate regulatory requirements to significant financial and technical hurdles. Conventional genome editing techniques typically rely on generating stable transgenic lines that express Cas9/sgRNA modules, necessitating extensive tissue culture—a time- and labor-intensive bottleneck. To overcome these limitations, the scientific community has been actively pursuing genome editing methods that are faster, more cost-effective, and less reliant on complex cultivation practices.
In a development, researchers at Seoul National University have introduced virus-induced genome editing (VIGE) techniques that could redefine crop breeding methodologies. Their findings (DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhad233), published on November 17, 2023, in Horticulture Research, present two revolutionary VIGE approaches specifically tailored for economically and nutritionally significant Solanaceous crops. These techniques represent a leap forward in plant genome editing, holding promise for a new era in crop improvement.
The study outlines two innovative VIGE strategies. The first utilizes the tobacco rattle virus (TRV) vector to deliver single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) into a transgenic tomato line expressing Cas9. The second method employs the potato virus X (PVX) vector to simultaneously introduce Cas9 and sgRNAs, entirely eliminating the need for transgenic lines. Both approaches were refined using deep sequencing and heat treatments to enhance genome editing efficiency, yielding mutation rates of 40.3% with TRV and 36.5% with PVX. These results are remarkable not only for their high efficacy but also for the simplicity and resource efficiency of the methods. Successfully applied to key tomato genes, these techniques show potential for widespread use in other Solanaceous crops, underscoring their versatility and impact on plant breeding science.
Lead researcher Byoung-Cheorl Kang emphasized the transformative potential of this breakthrough, stating, "Our development of VIGE methods addresses the longstanding challenges of slow and cumbersome genome editing processes. These new techniques accelerate the editing timeline, making genome editing more efficient and accessible for Solanaceous crops. This achievement paves the way for developing crops with enhanced traits and represents a significant stride towards improving agricultural productivity and global food security."
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