Experts Target OsTRE1 to Improve Rice Stress Tolerance

Researchers from the University of Costa Rica used the CRISPR-Cas9 system to edit a gene in rice to improve abiotic stress tolerance. The findings are published in Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture.

Osmotic stress and salinity are among the stresses that impact rice productivity. Thus, the researchers targeted gene editing of the trehalase gene, which is linked with stress adaptation. Using CRISPR-Cas9, OsTRE1 was disabled in japonica rice to enhance the effect on the rice plants' stress tolerance. By cutting the gene at two different locations, they successfully created several new rice lines in which the resulting protein was significantly shortened or altered. While these edits did not lead to drought-tolerant rice plants, the researchers discovered that the gene-edited plants had improved salinity tolerance.

As climate change leads to rising sea levels and increased soil salinity, traditional rice crops are failing in coastal and dry regions. This study proves that "turning off" the trehalase gene is a viable shortcut to creating salt-tolerant rice.

Read the research article for more findings.