Optimization of gene editing using CRISPR for comercial varieties of Sweet Orange aiming tolerance to HLB

• Grant number: 22/00452-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: April 01, 2022
• End date: November 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Plant Health
• Agreement: CNPq - INCTs
• Principal Investigator: Marcos Antonio Machado
• Grantee: Cristina de Paula Santos Martins
• Host Institution: Instituto Agronômico (IAC). Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA). Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento (São Paulo - Estado). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 14/50880-0 - INCT 2014: comparative and functional genomics and citrus-assisted breeding, AP.TEM

Abstract

The citrus industry has been extremely affected by Huanglongbing (HLB), a disease caused by the ±-proteobacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas). As all commercial species are susceptible to HLB, the development of tolerant commercial varieties has become the biggest challenge in citrus production. The possibility of creating targeted mutations using CRISPR technology promoting the alteration of certain responses of citrus trees when infected by CLas is a very interesting approach. Recently, transcriptomes that evaluated the global expression of genes in susceptible, tolerant and resistant genotypes after eight months of infection identified genes that may help to explain the presence and absence of the characteristic symptoms of HLB in citrus genotypes and related genera. The application of CRISPR technology to the study of the citrus-HLB pathosystem will expand the gene x genotype association, the knowledge of mechanisms involved in the response to HLB and may even contribute with new strategies to search for tolerance or resistance to be used in susceptible genotypes in addition to allow the development of new non-transgenic citrus varieties. (AU)