Scientists from the Institute for Sustainable Agriculture and the University
of the Basque Country in Spain demonstrate the potential of gene editing in
developing wheat with low gluten content using CRISPR-Cas9 technology. Their
findings mark a significant breakthrough in producing gluten-free wheat in
the market.



Wheat is one of the most widely cultivated crops and serves as a staple food
for millions of people. A key component of wheat is gluten, a complex group
of proteins that includes the á/â-, ?-, and ?-gliadins. While gluten is
harmless for most people, gluten can cause health issues for individuals
with Celiac Disease (CD), Non-Celiac Wheat Sensitivity (NCWS), and
IgE-mediated food allergies which may require gluten-free foods in their
diet.



In this study, the researchers take a step forward in producing gluten-free
wheat by targeting the genes encoding for the ?- and ?-gliadins in wheat.
The results of the study showed that the mutations were inherited by the
offspring and the gluten content was reduced by up to 97.7%. When crossed
with other CRISPR lines with reduced á-gliadins, these lines produced very
low to no gluten content. In the future, the researchers aim to perform
stimulation assays with peripheral blood mononuclear cells to gain insights
into the immunogenic response in CD and NCWS patients.



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