Gene editing trees without foreign DNA still hits roadblocks
Ramakrishnan M, Kaul R, Sharma A, Ahmad Z, Vijayakanth V
Crispr
The apples, poplars, and grapevines in orchards and windbreaks near you could one day be bred for disease resistance or drought tolerance faster, if scientists can crack the delivery problem this review lays out.
Normally, editing a plant's genes means inserting genetic material from somewhere else, which can trigger strict regulations and public pushback. This newer method instead uses CRISPR as a temporary protein toolkit that edits genes and then breaks down, leaving no foreign DNA behind. The catch is that woody plants like apple, poplar, and bamboo have tough cell walls and are notoriously hard to regrow from edited cells, so researchers are still working out how to reliably get the editing tools inside and coax the plants to grow back.
Key Findings
RNP-based CRISPR editing has been applied in tree species including apple, poplar, oil palm, rubber tree, and grapevine, avoiding integration of foreign DNA
PEG-mediated protoplast transfection and particle bombardment remain the main delivery methods used in trees so far, while alternatives like electroporation, lipofection, cell-penetrating peptides, and nanoparticles are promising but untested in woody species
Woody plants face greater barriers than herbaceous crops due to complex cell wall structure, recalcitrant genotypes, and regeneration difficulties, especially in species like bamboo
chevron_right Technical Summary
Scientists are refining a DNA-free gene-editing method for trees that uses CRISPR proteins instead of inserted genes, which could speed up breeding hardier fruit and timber species without triggering GMO regulations. The approach still struggles with getting the editing tools into tough, woody plant cells and regrowing edited plants afterward.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
CRISPR RNP-Mediated Transgene-Free Genome Editing in Plants: Advances, Challenges and Future Directions for Tree Species.
CRISPR ribonucleoprotein (RNP)-mediated genome editing offers a transgene-free platform for precise genetic modification in diverse herbaceous and tree species, including rice, wheat, apple, poplar...
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
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