Biotech Updates

Experts Report a Multi-functional Genome Editing Method for Plants

June 24, 2020

Experts from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences introduced a new technique called CRISPR simultaneous and wide-editing induced by a single system (SWISS), which allows multi-functional genome editing in plants. The detailed description of SWISS is published in Genome Biology.

In this new method, the RNA aptamers engineered in crRNA scaffold recruit their cognate binding proteins fused with cytidine deaminase and adenosine deaminase to Cas9 nickase target sites, leading to multiplexed base-editing. When paired sgRNAs are used, SWISS can cause insertions or deletions in addition to base editing. When this method was tested in rice, the mutants generated exhibited efficiencies of cytosine conversion of 25.5%, adenine conversion of 16.4%, indels of 52.7%, and simultaneous triple mutations of 7.3%.

Based on the tests, the SWISS system is a powerful tool for multi-functional genome editing in plants.

For more findings, read the open-access article at Genome Biology.


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