CRISPR-Adventskalender

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© Daria Chrobok, DC SciArt

Crop: Potato (Solanum tuberosum)
Property: Changed starch composition

In addition to the cultivation of potatoes as food, potato starch is also used industrially. Starch (a carbohydrate) is an essential component of potatoes and consists of two fractions: amylopectin (about 75%) and amylose (about 25%). Only amylopectin is required for the industrial use of starch, e.g. for adhesives and lubricants, so the two starch types must be separated from each other. Although this is possible with chemical, physical or enzymatic processes, it is labor-intensive and, depending on the process, can lead to environmental pollution. Scientists at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences have used CRISPR/Cas to eliminate a gene responsible for amylose formation. The result is a potato that produces only amylopectin, hence eliminating the need for subsequent separation.

Publication

TitleEfficient targeted multiallelic mutagenesis in tetraploid potato (Solanum tuberosum) by transient CRISPR-Cas9 expression in protoplasts
AuthorsMariette Andersson et al.
CountrySweden
JournalPlant Cell Reports
Year2016
DOIdoi:10.1007/s00299-016-2062-3