title: CRISPR/Cas9: a promising way to exploit genetic variation in plants.
abstract: Creation of variation in existing gene pool of crop plants is the foremost requirement in crop improvement programmes. Genome editing is a tool to produce knock out of target genes either by introduction of insertion or by deletion that disrupts the function of a specific gene. The CRISPR/Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9) system is the most recent addition to the toolbox of sequence-specific nucleases that includes ZFNs and TALENs. The CRISPR/Cas9 system allows targeted cleavage of genomic DNA guided by a small noncoding RNA, resulting in gene modifications by both non-homologous end joining and homology-directed repair mechanisms. Here, we present an overview of mechanisms of CRISPR, its potential roles in creating variation in germplasm and applications of this novel interference pathway in crop improvement. The availability of the CRISPR/Cas9 system holds promise in facilitating both forward and reverse genetics and will enhance research in crops that lack genetic resources.
authors: ICAR-Directorate of Rapeseed-Mustard Research, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, 321303, India. reemasherwal@gmail.com.
authors: Reema
authors: R
authors: Rani
authors: ICAR-Directorate of Rapeseed-Mustard Research, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, 321303, India.
authors: Prashant
authors: P
authors: Yadav
authors: ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
authors: Kalyani M
authors: KM
authors: Barbadikar
authors: ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India.
authors: Nikita
authors: N
authors: Baliyan
authors: ICAR-National Research Centre on Plant Biotechnology, New Delhi, India.
authors: Era Vaidya
authors: EV
authors: Malhotra
authors: ICAR-Indian Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Ranchi, India.
authors: Binay Kumar
authors: BK
authors: Singh
authors: ICAR-Directorate of Rapeseed-Mustard Research, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, 321303, India.
authors: Arun
authors: A
authors: Kumar
authors: ICAR-Directorate of Rapeseed-Mustard Research, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, 321303, India.
authors: Dhiraj
authors: D
authors: Singh
mesh_terms: D064113:CRISPR-Cas Systems / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics; D018745:Genome, Plant / Q000235:genetics*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins
keywords: CRISPR/Cas9; Crop improvement; Genome editing; Mutagenesis