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Chemical and genetic optimization of regeneration capacity in sunflower to improve genome editing strategies (Multisun)
Project
Project code: 031B0554
Contract period: 01.05.2018
- 30.04.2020
Budget: 335,705 Euro
Purpose of research: Experimental development
Keywords: tisuue culture techniques, sunflower, organogenic potential, recalcitrance, target screening
The regeneration competence of transformed plant tissues is a key bottleneck in genetic transformation protocols required for genomic editing approaches. Optimization of the organogenic potential of transformation-competent plant tissues is thus a major target to make this breeding technology more applicable. Using high-throughput chemical screening we identified a number novel small molecule compounds, which promote shoot or root organogenesis in tissue culture. Since these compounds appear to act partially independent of classical plant hormones usually used to trigger organ formation, they represent interesting candidates to improve regeneration in recalcitrant crop species. To proof this concept, we will evaluate the impact of these novel growth regulators on the transformation efficiency of sunflower. This important oil crop is known for its high regenerative recalcitrance in tissue culture, limiting the implementation of transformation-based breeding methods for genetic improvement. Complementary to the chemicals, we will also apply transient expression of shoot-specifying transcription factors in the transformation protocol of sunflower, a procedure recently shown to be successful in cereals. Finally, to expand the number of chemicals to be tested in sunflower we will perform a small molecule screen for additional enhancers of de novo shoot meristem formation. This interdisciplinary approach should identify effective strategies to promote sunflower transformation and might also contribute to the characterization of novel plant growth regulators improving tissue culture-based methods in general.
Section overview
Subjects
- Plant Breeding
- Process engineering
