Knockout of two BnaMAX1 homologs by CRISPR/Cas9-targeted mutagenesis improves plant architecture and increases yield in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.).

ABSTRACT: Plant height and branch number are essential components of rapeseed plant architecture and are directly correlated with its yield. Presently, improvement of plant architecture is a major challenge in rapeseed breeding. In this study, we first verified that the two rapeseed BnaMAX1 genes had redundant functions resembling those of Arabidopsis MAX1, which regulates plant height and axillary bud outgrowth. Therefore, we designed two sgRNAs to edit these BnaMAX1 homologs using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. The T₀ plants were edited very efficiently (56.30%-67.38%) at the BnaMAX1 target sites resulting in homozygous, heterozygous, bi-allelic and chimeric mutations. Transmission tests revealed that the mutations were passed on to the T₁ and T₂ progeny. We also obtained

SUBMITTER: Zheng M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7004912 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature