January 2019 - 30

Genetic Opportunities
Researchers use technology
to address oxidization,
disease resistancey
Melanie Epp
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
By Melanie Epp
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
S
ince its introduction in 2015, CRISPR-Cas 9 has taken the
scientific world by storm.
Gene editing has allowed potato breeders to tackle major
production issues, such as drought tolerance and disease pressure,
as well as quality-related issues like browning.
Two projects make clear the potential of the technology for the
industry. The first project addresses the oxidization of potatoes,
while the other uses the technology as an approach for broad
disease resistance.
BROAD-SPECTRUM DISEASE RESISTANCE
Research scientist Junqi Song is the principal investigator of a
team that believes gene editing could hold the key to unlocking
broad-spectrum disease resistance in staple crops, including potato.
Song is a plant pathologist based at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research
Center in Dallas. His team has been focusing on late blight disease in
tomato and potato.
While much of the research being done in gene editing switches
genes off, Song is using the more complicated " knock-in " approach.
The knock-in approach, he explained, introduces a new system,
which increases the plants' existing defense responses as they come
into contact with pathogens.
In the past, researchers have tried to control disease by overexpressing
certain genes. But this often led to adverse effects,
including yield and quality reduction.
" So the idea we are taking is first we are going to identify the
master regulator, " Song said. " Second, we identified a pathogenresponsive
regulatory element, so we put those two together and
we use this regulatory element to drive the expression of the master
regulator of the new regulators. So this way, the different response
will be boosted upon pathogen infection. "
The process might sound complicated; the result, however, is not.
Simply put, broad-spectrum disease resistance is enhanced.
Song and his team are working on another project. This one
targets two genes and hopes to increase potato yield using geneediting
technology.
" Based on the literature, if you knock out some of the tuberization
genes, the potato yield will likely be increased, " he said. " And those
genes are often involved in the circadian clock and also flowering.
We don't really care if it flowers, we only care about the tubers. "
Because
the
30
Spudman.com
yield
project
uses
knockout
technology,
relatively easy in comparison to the disease resistance project, which
it's

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January 2019

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