Genome-edited haploid induction via RNP-CRISPR of activated egg cells in Triticeae

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K19211
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 39:Agricultural and environmental biology and related fields
• Research Institution: Mie University
• Principal Investigator: Kakeda Katsuyuki 三重大学, 生物資源学研究科, 教授 (50221867)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 岡本 龍史 東京都立大学, 理学研究科, 教授 (50285095)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-06-29 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: ゲノム編集 / in vitro受精 / Triticeae

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Wheat egg cells and maize sperm cells were isolated and in vitro-fertilized using electric fusion to produce wheat-maize hybrid zygotes. Plantlets were regenerated from callus cultures derived from these cross-fertilized eggs. Morphological observation, flow cytometry and genome sequencing analysis of the regenerated plants indicated that they were haploid plants of wheat. This study demonstrates that, during the development and regeneration of wheat-maize hybrid zygotes produced in vitro, the sperm cell-derived maize genome is selectively eliminated, as in the case of in planta crosses, resulting in the induction of haploid plants carrying the egg cell-derived wheat genome.

Free Research Field

植物遺伝育種学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

コムギおよびトウモロコシから単離した雌雄配偶子のin vitro交雑受精卵からコムギ半数体が獲得されたのは世界で初めての成果であり、この実証には挑戦的研究として大きな意義がある。今後、本研究をさらに発展させ、ムギ類の単離卵細胞および受精卵への物質導入系技術の革新を進めることで、形質転換を伴わないDNAフリーゲノム編集体の獲得が可能となり、ゲノム編集を組み入れたムギ類の新たな半数体育種法の開発につながることが期待される。