Crop Genome Editing 2.0
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Plant Sciences".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 26 February 2025 | Viewed by 1195
Special Issue Editors
Interests: bioinformatics application to plant breeding; plant structural and functional genomics; bioinformatics; genome structure and evolution; genome sequencing; crop improvement
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: carotenoid biosynthesis; cell totipotency; development of axillary meristem; disease resistance; flower symmetry; nanotechnology; plant hormones; RNA silencing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: transcriptomic; plant biotic/abiotic stress; gene functioning; gene network; bioinformatics; genome-wide analysis for multigenic families; in vitro regeneration
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Since 2012, innovations in CRISPR/Cas-mediated genome editing have been transforming a wide range of fields, from basic biological research to genetic improvement for crops to enhance plant productivity, quality, and resistance. One field that is ideally suited to genome editing applications is crop improvement due to the power of targeted mutations for novel trait development. The past few decades have seen remarkable advances in understanding the genetic control of key agronomic traits through QTL and GWAS mapping, whole-genome sequencing, candidate gene, and RNA-Seq analysis. CRISPR/Cas technologies now promise to rapidly accelerate functional gene validation of candidate genes, while at the same time providing an approach to precisely modify key genes controlling beneficial traits in crop species. Moreover, updated regulatory policies in many countries are now facilitating the commercialization of non-transgenic gene-edited cultivars. However, there are still bottlenecks that need to be addressed before high-throughput CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing becomes routine across the major crops, including the need to improve plant transformation efficiency, speed up in vitro tissue culture processes, and optimize precise allele modification. A safe and effective method to deliver genome-editing components is still a key challenge for in vitro genome editing. There are various reagent delivery approaches available that have enabled the delivery of DNA-free editing reagents. For instance, they invariably involve the use of ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) or deliver DNA/RNA/protein into the plant cells using viral vectors, lipofection, and nanoparticles. The discovery of new and smaller endonucleases and increasing cargo delivery capacity using nanoparticles is expected to enable the development of edited crops without reliance on disruptive physical delivery methods. The new era of crop genome editing will simultaneously accelerate the functional validation of key genes while enabling plant breeding to develop the next generation of improved crops to provide more sustainable agriculture and healthier foods for the future.
This Special Issue, “Crop Genome Editing 2.0”, will include research topics and review articles that address how CRISPR/Cas-mediated genome editing can be applied to plant genetic research and crop improvement. Original research articles describing novel crop genome editing techniques, approaches, and innovations are encouraged, as well as case studies where genome editing has been used for gene characterization and validation, novel trait development, or genetic dissection of key traits for crop improvement, including stress tolerance, disease resistance, and improved quality and nutrition.
Dr. Flavia Mascagni
Dr. Claudio Pugliesi
Dr. Alberto Vangelisti
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- CRISPR/Cas9
- crop improvement
- functional gene validation
- genome editing
- molecular genetics
