2nd International Molecular Plant Protection Congress, Bursa, Türkiye, 15 - 18 Mayıs 2023, cilt.1, ss.111
Gene drives are a powerful new gene-editing tool that allows for the
management of detrimental organisms, such as the malaria vector Anopheles
gambiae, by creating heritable mutations through genetic manipulation of
pest populations. The development of site-specific genome-editing tools has
improved gene drives and made them a promising approach for addressing
agricultural, ecological, and human health problems. This technology can be
used to manage pests and weeds that reduce yield and quality in agricultural
production. Additionally, there is potential to generate disease-resistant
cultivars using CRISPR drives with only routine pollination after a single
transformation assay, eliminating the need for repetitive gene-editing
experiments or backcrossing. In this study, we designed two CRISPR/Cas9-based
gene drives with constitutive or inducible promoters to disrupt the function of
CsaMLO8, the major gene associated with powdery mildew (PM)
susceptibility in C. sativus. We used an in silico approach to
select targets for knock-in and gene-drive designing for pre-experimental
guidance and identify edited plants for post-experimental analysis. Additionally,
our study aims to investigate the impact of sex bias and promoter type on the
efficiency of gene drives and the type and heredity of induced mutations. Our
overall objective is to assess the potential of CRISPR-based gene drives as a
tool for plant breeding and other methods to control harmful organisms that
reduce agricultural yield or quality. By identifying the opportunities
presented by CRISPR-based gene drives, we hope to provide valuable insights
into effective strategies for generating disease-resistant cultivars in a
shorter time and at a lower cost.