2024-01-21 13:23:07
CRISPR enhances banana resistance to Xanthomonas wilt disease
HIS*
A recent study published in Plant Biotechnology Journal shows improved banana resistance to wilt disease caused by Xanthomonas by silencing the MusaENODL3 gene. According to the researchers, this is the first study showing the potential of the ENODL gene in the development of disease-resistant plants.
Banana Xanthomonas wilt (Banana Xanthomonas wilt (BXW)) is a bacterial disease triggered by Xanthomonas campestris pv. musacearum (Xcm). Banana trees rot from the inside. BXW disease is a persistent threat in East and Central Africa that has caused massive yield and economic losses.
To address this, the researchers used a targeted genome editing technique using CRISPR-Cas9 to precisely knock out MusaENODL3 from the banana cultivar ‘Gonja Manjaya’, which is susceptible to BXW. This study offers important insights for ongoing research into the development of disease-resistant banana varieties.
For more information, read the Plant Biotechnology Journal article.
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* Source : CRISPR Improves Resistance of Banana to Xanthomonas Wilt Disease- Crop Biotech Update (November 29, 2023) | Gene Editing Supplement – ISAAA.org
My note: Here is the summary (cut out) of Targeted knockout of early nodulin-like 3 (MusaENODL3) gene in banana reveals its function in resistance to Xanthomonas wilt disease. banana tree reveals its function in resistance to wilt disease caused by Xanthomonas) by Valentine Otang Ntui, Jaindra Nath Tripathi, Trushar Shah, Leena Tripathi, all from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture:
Nodulins and nodulin-like proteins play essential roles in symbiotic associations between legumes and Rhizobium bacteria. Their role extends beyond leguminous species, as numerous nodulin-like proteins, including early nodulin-like proteins (ENODL), have been identified in various non-leguminous plants, implying their involvement in functions ranging beyond nodulation, such as nutrient transport and growth modulation.
Some ENODL proteins have been associated with plant defense against pathogens, as is the case in banana plants infected with Xanthomonas campestris pv. musacearum (Xcm), the cause of banana wilt disease Xanthomonas (BXW). However, the specific role of ENODL in plant defense has not yet been fully elucidated.
The MusaENODL3 gene was found to be downregulated in the progenitor of the BXW-resistant ‘Musa balbisiana’ banana and 20-fold upregulated in the BXW-susceptible cultivar ‘Gonja Manjaya’ upon early Xcm infection.
To better understand the role of the ENODL gene in disease resistance, the CRISPR/Cas9 system was used to precisely disrupt the MusaENODL3 gene in the cultivar ‘Gonja Manjaya’.
Analysis of enodl3 edited events confirmed precise manipulation of the MusaENODL3 gene. Disease resistance and gene expression analysis demonstrated that MusaENODL3 gene editing resulted in resistance to BXW disease, with 50% of edited plants remaining asymptomatic.
The identification and manipulation of the MusaENODL3 gene highlights its potential as a critical player in plant-pathogen interactions, providing new opportunities for improving disease resistance in crops such as banana, an important food crop of basis and source of income for resource-poor farmers in the tropics.
This study provides the first evidence of the direct role of the ENODL3 gene in the development of disease-resistant plants. »
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