Genome editing is the precise alteration of DNA in living cells by the cutting or removal of specific sequences, sometimes followed by insertion of new sequences at the cut site. CRISPR–Cas9 has become firmly established as the genome-editing method of choice, replacing the systems that had been developed and in use since the early 1990s. The CRISPR–Cas9 system has been developed from a mechanism used in prokaryotes as a defence against bacteriophage but actually functions in cells of all types of organisms. It is widely used in research as a gene knockout and editing tool; applications in veterinary medicine (such as increased resistance to disease) and human medicine (such as correction of disease-causing mutations) are under development. In agriculture and horticulture, the potential for various aspects of crop improvement is very large. Selected aspects of this potential are presented here, with particular focus on crop quality and disease resistance. The article ends with a brief discussion of the regulatory ‘environment’ in the USA and the EU.
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November 2019
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This issue's cover features a collection of images to showcase the breadth of topics which raise bioethical questions, many of which are covered in this issue. Image credits (clockwise from top left): andriano. cz/Shutterstock.com; David Parry/PA Wire https://culturedbeef.org/; Peterson and Owen (pages 707–711); Gleadow et al. (pages 723–729).
Review Article|
November 15 2019
From bacterial battles to CRISPR crops; progress towards agricultural applications of genome editing
John A. Bryant
Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, U.K.
Correspondence: John A Bryant (j.a.bryant@exeter.ac.uk)
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Emerg Top Life Sci (2019) 3 (6): 687–693.
Article history
Received:
August 12 2019
Revision Received:
October 15 2019
Accepted:
October 25 2019
Citation
John A. Bryant; From bacterial battles to CRISPR crops; progress towards agricultural applications of genome editing. Emerg Top Life Sci 27 November 2019; 3 (6): 687–693. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/ETLS20190065
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