Abstract Detail

Functional Genetics/Genomics

Starr, Dakota [1], Bewg, William [3], Leebens-Mack, Jim [2], Tsai, CJ [3].

Creating white asparagus with CRISPR-Cas9.

Asparagus was the first monocot plant to be transformed by Agrobacterium. Pioneering work done on asparagus in the 1980s and 1990s inspired development of transformation in the Poaceae family, but little has been done with asparagus transformation since then and transformation efficiency in asparagus remains generally low and variable among lines. We are developing a way to transform asparagus lines using Agrobacterium with CRISPR-Cas9. In order to develop gene editing in garden asparagus we are targeting the Phytoene desaturase gene, PDS, a gene that when silenced produces a plant with albino shoots lacking chlorophyll. PDS knockouts are obvious in young shoots, and thus ideal for relatively rapid assessment of   transformation and gene editing efficiency. Preliminary data from our first experiments shows that white asparagus can be produced by using Agrobacterium with CRISPR-Cas9. In addition to presenting efficiency data, we describe general principles of CRISPR guide RNA and plasmid design as well as transformation and plantlet induction protocols.

1 - University Of Georgia, Plant Biology, 120 Carlton Street, Athens, GA, 30602, United States
2 - University Of Georgia, Plant Biology, 2101 Miller Plant Sciences, Athens, GA, 30602, United States
3 - University of Georgia, Warnell College of Forestry, 120 East Green St, Athens, GA, 30602, United States

Keywords:
Asparagus
Agrobacterium transforamtion
CRISPR-Cas9
PDS.

Presentation Type: Poster
Session: P, Functional Genetics and Genomics Posters
Location: Virtual/Virtual
Date: Wednesday, July 29th, 2020
Time: 5:00 PM Time and date to be determined
Number: PCG006
Abstract ID:691
Candidate for Awards:Genetics Section Poster Award