CRISPR-Combo Speeds Up Gene Editing in Hard-to-Breed Perennial Crops

A study led by researchers at Texas A&M AgriLife Research, the University of Maryland, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has developed a gene editing system called CRISPR-Combo that could speed up the regeneration of whole plants from edited cells. The system combines gene editing with activation of the plant's own genes that control cell development to reduce the time needed to produce gene-edited perennial crops such as citrus, strawberry, and poplar.

The research team screened candidate morphogenic genes using a rapid hairy root system. In potatoes, they tested 17 genes and identified four that improved root formation, with three also increasing shoot regeneration efficiency to 45%-70%, compared with 30%-35% in controls. In citrus, five of 10 tested genes improved regeneration, raising shoot regeneration efficiency to 80% or higher compared with less than 60% in controls.

The team also found that activating two morphogenic genes together could further accelerate plant regeneration. In wild strawberry, the approach shortened production time by more than a month. In poplar, shoots regenerated in less than a month without external plant hormones, while edited plants showed higher biomass and no obvious abnormalities. The findings suggest CRISPR-Combo could help make gene editing more efficient across difficult-to-breed crops.

For more information, read the article from Texas A&M AgriLife.