PubMed · 2026-07-01
Researchers have published a comprehensive guide for using CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing in maize, covering the technical components needed to modify corn's DNA with precision and reliability. The review maps out a practical framework spanning promoter selection, guide RNA design, multiplexing strategies, and validation methods, giving plant scientists and breeders a clear roadmap for accelerating crop improvement.
CRISPR-Cas9 is the most widely adopted genome editing platform for maize due to high editing efficiency, multiplexing capability, and scalability across diverse applications.
Successful editing depends on coordinated optimization of four variables: tissue-appropriate promoter selection, Cas gene codon optimization, guide RNA design, and polycistronic expression strategies for multi-target edits.
Both RNA polymerase III- and Pol II-dependent expression systems can drive simultaneous editing of multiple genomic loci, enabling dissection of complex traits in a single experiment.
