Resistance to the herbicide metribuzin conferred to Arabidopsis thaliana by targeted base editing of the chloroplast genome.

ABSTRACT: The chloroplast genome has considerable potential to enhance crop productivity, but it remains underutilized in breeding because it is difficult to modify. This study elucidates the potential of recently developed chloroplast-targeted C-to-T base editors in facilitating the use of the chloroplast genome for crop breeding. The herbicide metribuzin interferes with photosynthesis by binding to the D1 protein of photosystem II, encoded by the chloroplast genome. Naturally occurring D1 mutants with V219I or A251V substitutions are known to have resistance to some herbicides including metribuzin. Here, using the base editors, we introduced these substitutions and showed that the A251V single mutation and the V219 & A251V double mutations conferred significant metribuzin resistance to Arabidopsis

SUBMITTER: Nakazato I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11672748 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature