Generation of novel resistance genes using mutation and targeted gene editing

• Published in: Current opinion in virology 2017-10, Vol.26, p.98-103
• Main Authors: Gal-On, Amit, Fuchs, Marc, Gray, Stewart
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agriculture - methods; Disease Resistance; Gene Editing - methods; Mutation; Plant Diseases - prevention & control; Plant Diseases - virology; Plants, Genetically Modified - immunology; Plants, Genetically Modified - virology
• ISSN: 1879-6257; 1879-6265
• DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2017.07.024

•Virus resistance is a major goal for crop improvement.•Virus infection depends on the presence of host susceptibility or resistance genes.•Understanding host gene function in resistance provides targets for gene editing.•CRISPR/Cas system is an advanced gene editing method in crop plants.•Breeding for virus resistance via editing of host genes will become routine. Classical breeding for virus resistance is a lengthy process and is restricted by the availability of resistance genes. Precise genome editing is a ‘dream technology’ to improve plants for virus resistance and these tools have opened new and very promising ways to generate virus resistant plants by disrupting host susceptibility genes, or by increasing the expression of viral resistance genes. However, precise targets must be identified and their roles understood to minimize potential negative effects on the plant. Nonetheless, the opportunities for genome editing are expanding, as are the technologies to generate effective and broad-spectrum resistance against plant viruses. Here we provide insights into recent progress related to gene targets and gene editing technologies.