Scientists from Huazhong Agricultural University used CRISPR-Cas9 system to
edit the
[www.isaaa.org] genome
of allotetraploid
<[www.isaaa.org]
load/biotech-crop-annual-update-cotton-2016.pdf> cotton, Gossypium hirsutum,
which has a complex genome. The results are published in Plant Biotechnology
Journal.

The researchers targeted an exogenously transformed
[www.isaaa.org] gene
Discosoma red fluorescent protein2 (DsRed2) and an endogenous gene GhCLA1.
Results showed that DsRed2-edited plants in T0 generation reverted its
traits to wild type, with vanished red fluorescence in the whole plants.
Furthermore, the mutated phenotype and genotype were inherited to their T1
progenies. On the other hand, 75% of the GhCLA1-edited plants exhibited
albino phenotype with obvious nucleotides and DNA fragments deletion. High
efficiency (67-100%) of gene editing at each target site was recorded. There
was no off-target editing detected at the potential off-target sites.

These results show that the CRISPR-Cas9 system is highly efficient and
reliable for allotetraploid cotton genome editing.

[onlinelibrary.wiley.com]