Plant Gene Editing at Scale Using Non-transgenic Approaches

Abstract

Plant gene editing typically involves delivering reagents like Cas9 and sgRNAs to explants in culture, followed by inducing edited cells to differentiate into whole plants. However, this tissue culture-based method is often inefficient and limited to certain species and genotypes, with potential unintended genomic changes. We are developing alternative approaches that minimise or eliminate the need for tissue culture.

One method involves de novo meristem induction, delivering developmental regulators and gene editing reagents to somatic cells in whole plants to produce shoots with targeted DNA modifications, which are passed to the next generation. Another approach uses RNA viruses to deliver sgRNAs to transgenic plants expressing Cas9, enhancing mobility into the meristem and generating gene-edited shoots that transmit edits. Both methods address key limitations of traditional tissue culture-based plant gene editing.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

1.40 P.M. – 2.25 P.M. LECTURE BY PROFESSOR DANIEL VOYTAS 

2.25 P.M. – 3.10 P.M. PANEL DISCUSSION ON IMPACT OF GENOME ENGINEERING ON FUTURE FOODS

Biography

Professor Daniel Voytas’ research focuses on developing methods for editing plant genomes. His lab pioneered the creation of Transcription Activator-Like Effector Nucleases (TALENs), a powerful genome editing tool recognised by Science magazine as one of the top ten scientific breakthroughs of 2012. He also co-founded Calyxt, an agricultural biotechnology company that utilises gene editing for crop improvement. In 2019, he was elected to the National Academy of Sciences.