Summary
This study employed CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to create knockout and targeted insertion-deletion variants in the eIFiso4G1 gene of rice (Oryza sativa), conferring resistance to rice yellow mottle virus, a major pathogen in African rice production. Knockout mutations provided high resistance with no observed resistance-breaking events, suggesting greater durability than naturally occurring resistance alleles, though complete knockouts marginally reduced plant growth. Selected insertion-deletion variants in the viral protein VPg-interacting region achieved high resistance without growth penalties, with structural modelling elucidating the molecular basis of phenotypic variation.
Regional applicability
This research addresses a pathogen primarily affecting African rice cultivation and focuses on the widely grown O. sativa rather than African cultivars, enhancing breeding programme applicability across rice-growing regions. Direct application to United Kingdom rice production is limited, as RYMV is not endemic to temperate climates, though the CRISPR-Cas9 methodology and structure–function insights may inform resistance breeding for other UK-relevant viral pathogens in cereals.
Key measures
RYMV resistance (presence/absence of resistance-breaking events), plant growth phenotypes, structural modelling of eIFiso4G1-VPg protein interactions
Outcomes reported
The study generated CRISPR-Cas9 knockout and insertion-deletion variants in the rice eIFiso4G1 gene and evaluated their resistance to rice yellow mottle virus (RYMV) and effects on plant growth. Structural modelling was used to understand how specific variants modulate the resistance phenotype.
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