Genomics and Applied Biology 2024, Vol.15, No.4, 182-190 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/gab 182 Research Insight Open Access Genome Editing and Rice Improvement: The Role of CRISPR/Cas9 in Developing Superior Yield Traits Zufan Chen, Dapeng Zhang Hier Rice Research Center, Hainan Institute of Tropical Agricultural Resources, Sanya, 572025, Hainan, China Corresponding author: dapeng.zhang@hitar.org Genomics and Applied Biology, 2024, Vol.15, No.4 doi: 10.5376/gab.2024.15.0020 Received: 27 May, 2024 Accepted: 03 Jul., 2024 Published: 19 Jul., 2024 Copyright © 2024 Chen and Zhang, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Chen Z.F., and Zhang D.P., 2024, Genome editing and rice improvement: the role of CRISPR/Cas9 in developing superior yield traits, Genomics and Applied Biology, 15(4): 182-190 (doi: 10.5376/gab.2024.15.0014) Abstract The study demonstrated that the CRISPR/Cas9 system is highly efficient in rice, with nearly half of the target genes edited in the first generation of transformed plants (T0). The mutations were found to be heritable, following classic Mendelian inheritance patterns, with no detectable large-scale off-target effects. Additionally, the CRISPR/Cas9 system enabled high-efficiency multiplex genome editing, allowing for the simultaneous targeting of multiple genes, which is crucial for improving complex traits such as yield. The use of CRISPR/Cas9 has also been shown to enhance grain quality and other agronomic traits, making it a versatile tool for rice improvement. The findings underscore the potential of the CRISPR/Cas9 system as a powerful and precise tool for rice genome engineering. By enabling targeted and heritable gene modifications with minimal off-target effects, CRISPR/Cas9 can significantly contribute to the development of rice varieties with superior yield traits. This technology holds promise for addressing global food security challenges by improving rice productivity and quality. Keywords CRISPR/Cas9; Genome editing; Rice improvement; Yield traits; Heritability; Multiplex genome editing; Grain quality 1 Introduction Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most important staple food crops globally, providing a primary source of calories for more than half of the world's population. Its adaptability to various environmental conditions and its significant economic and social importance necessitate continuous efforts to improve its agronomic characteristics, such as yield, nutritional value, and stress tolerance (Romero and Gatica-Arias, 2019). Given the increasing global population and the challenges posed by climate change, enhancing rice production is critical for ensuring food security (Haque et al., 2018). Traditional breeding methods have significantly contributed to crop improvement; however, they are often time-consuming and less precise. Recent advancements in genome editing technologies, such as zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) system, have revolutionized the field of plant breeding (Li and Jiong, 2024). Among these, CRISPR/Cas9 stands out due to its simplicity, efficiency, and precision in editing specific genome sequences (Chen et al., 2019; Liu et al., 2022). This technology allows for targeted modifications, including gene knockouts, precise edits, and multiplex genome engineering, making it a versatile tool for crop improvement (Arora and Narula, 2017). CRISPR/Cas9 has emerged as a groundbreaking tool in plant biology, enabling the development of new plant varieties with enhanced traits such as increased yield, improved nutritional quality, and greater resilience to biotic and abiotic stresses (Abdelrahman et al., 2018; Zegeye et al., 2022). Its ability to create transgenic-free edited plants without introducing foreign DNA has received regulatory approval in several countries, further facilitating its adoption in agriculture (Zegeye et al., 2022). The technology's rapid evolution and myriad functionalities have made it a preferred choice for researchers aiming to address the challenges of modern agriculture, including the need for sustainable crop production under changing climatic conditions (Ricroch et al., 2017; Haque et al., 2018).
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