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CRISPR/Cas9; crop improvement; crops; genome editing; nutrition; off-target

Genome editing (GE) technology has emerged as a multifaceted strategy that instantaneously popularised themechanism to modify the genetic constitution of an organism. The clustered regularly interspaced shortpalindromic repeat (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated (Cas) protein-based genome editing (CRISPR/Cas)approach has huge potential for efficacious editing of genomes of numerous organisms. This framework hasdemonstrated to be more economical in contrast to mega-nucleases, zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), and transcriptionactivator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) for its flexibility, versatility, and potency. The advent ofsequence-specific nucleases (SSNs) allowed the precise induction of double-strand breaks (DSBs) into thegenome, ensuring desired alterations through non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) or homology-directedrepair (HDR) pathways. Researchers have utilized CRISPR/Cas-mediated genome alterations across cropvarieties to generate desirable characteristics for yield enhancement, enriched nutritional quality, and stressresistance.Here, we highlighted the recent progress in the area of nutritional improvement of crops via theCRISPR/Cas-based tools for fundamental plant research and crop genetic advancements. Application of thisgenome editing aids in unraveling the basic biology facts in plants supplemented by the incorporation ofgenome-wide association studies, artificial intelligence, and various bioinformatic frameworks, thereby providingfuturistic model studies and their affirmations. Strategies for reducing the ‘off-target’ effects and thesocietal approval of genome-modified crops developed via this modern biotechnological approach have beenreviewed.

TANUSHRI KAUL¹ SONIA KHAN SONY¹ RACHANA VERMA¹ KHALED FATHY ABDEL MOTELB¹ ARUL T PRAKASH¹ MURUGESH ESWARAN¹ JYOTSNA BHARTI¹ MAMTA NEHRA¹ RASHMI KAUL¹

1. Nutritional Improvement of Crops Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110 067, India

Published

28 October 2020