CRISPR-Adventskalender

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© Daria Chrobok, DC SciArt

Crop: Banana (Musa × paradisiaca)
Property: Resistance to the banana streak virus

The cooking banana is a staple food in many tropical and subtropical regions of America, Africa and Asia. However, a virus (banana streak virus) slumbers in its genetic material and is activated during stress situations (including water and temperature stress). This then leads to plant disease and an associated loss of harvest. A research team from Kenya and the USA used CRISPR/Cas to neutralize the virus in the banana genome by programming the genetic scissors in such a way that they controlled and cut the virus genes. For their work, the researchers used a cultivated banana variety that is widespread in East and Central Africa.

Publication

TitleCRISPR/Cas9 editing of endogenous banana streak virus in the B genome of Musa spp. overcomes a major challenge in banana breeding
AuthorsJaindra N. Tripathi et al.
CountryKenya
JournalCommunications Biology
Year2019
DOIdoi:10.1038/s42003-019-0288-7