Crop Functional Genomics Made Easy with CRISPR/Cas9

Advances in genome engineering technologies have been an important break-through in crop functional genomics. Researchers previously confined to working within the mutant collections of model plants are now able to generate mutations for nearly any gene of interest in crop species amenable to genetic transformation. The most recent genome engineering platform is the CRISPR/Cas9 reagent. This platform is inexpensive and relatively accessible compared to earlier technologies, allowing researchers with minimal molecular biology specialization to perform targeted mutagenesis at specific loci for desirable trait outcomes. This talk will address recent applications of these reagents in crop species, focusing on the functional genomics of small RNA pathway-associated genes in soybean, symbiotic nitrogen fixation-associated genes in Medicago, and new efforts to compliment wheat breeding practices against rust pathogens.