Engineering quantitative stomatal trait variation and local adaptation potential by cis-regulatory editing.

ABSTRACT: Cis-regulatory element editing can generate quantitative trait variation that mitigates extreme phenotypes and harmful pleiotropy associated with coding sequence mutations. Here, we applied a multiplexed CRISPR/Cas9 approach, informed by bioinformatic datasets, to generate genotypic variation in the promoter of OsSTOMAGEN, a positive regulator of rice stomatal density. Engineered genotypic variation corresponded to broad and continuous variation in stomatal density, ranging from 70% to 120% of wild-type stomatal density. This panel of stomatal variants was leveraged in physiological assays to establish discrete relationships between stomatal morphological variation and stomatal conductance, carbon assimilation and intrinsic water use efficiency in steady-state and fluctuating light conditi

SUBMITTER: Karavolias NG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11606412 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature