New Progress in Apple Gene Editing Technology
Published:28 Dec.2022 Source:BioArt Plant
The establishment of efficient transgenic and gene editing technology system in apple (Malus pumila) is the key to realize molecular design breeding. However, the genetic transformation efficiency of most apple varieties and rootstock materials is generally low, which severely limits the process of molecular genetic improvement.
Recently, the team of Han Zhenhai/Li Wei from the School of Horticulture, China Agricultural University published a research paper entitled “Genome editing of apple SQUAMOSA PROMOTER BINDNG PROTEIN-LIKE 6 enhances adventitious shoot regeneration” in Plant Physiology. In this study, the molecular mechanism of high regeneration of apple 'GL-3' material was revealed through the joint analysis of multiple genomics and genetic transformation experiment. It was found that the high expression of miR156aa was the main reason for its strong regeneration ability; Furthermore, WGCNA analysis and double luciferase experiment verified that the regulation of miR156aa on adventitious bud regeneration was achieved through targeted regulation of MdSPL6, and the inhibition of MdSPL6 on adventitious bud regeneration was confirmed through genetic transformation experiment.
This study successfully used gene editing technology to mutate the apple MdSPL6 gene, significantly improving the regeneration efficiency of adventitious buds, and explored an effective way to create high regeneration germplasm in apple and other fruit trees in the family of Rosaceae with the help of gene editing technology.