Gene Editing Improves Soybean Grain Quality for Animal Feed

Researchers from the State University of Londrina (Universidade Estadual de Londrina) and partners in Brazil used CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to inactivate the Le1 gene in soybean to improve grain digestibility for animal feed. The study sought to reduce lectin activity by targeting this gene in the soybean cultivar BRS 537 to limit nutrient absorption in monogastric animals.

The researchers used Agrobacterium-mediated transformation with two guide RNAs to generate 20 independent events with a 10% editing efficiency. Among the lines generated, the AF12-13-1 line, carrying a 4-base pair deletion in Le1, produces a truncated and unstable protein. The complementary biochemical assays confirmed the loss of lectin activity in these lines.

The study showed that the edited lines maintained key agronomic traits, showing no differences in yield or thousand-seed weight compared with the wild-type plants. The findings of the study highlight that inactivating the Le1 gene can produce soybeans with improved digestibility for monogastric animals without affecting productivity.

For more information, read the abstract from Frontiers in Plant Science.