biostudies-literatureUnknown16Kafer JM<h4>Introduction</h4>Soybean agglutinin (SBA) is a major antinutritional factor in soybean seeds, reducing digestibility in monogastric animals. The Le1 gene encodes the primary lectin accumulated in seeds. Genome editing offers a direct strategy to eliminate this factor in elite cultivars.<h4>Methods</h4>Two gRNAs targeting Le1 were inserted into a CRISPR/Cas9 binary vector and used for Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of the soybean cultivar BRS 537. Edited plants were screened by PCR, Sanger sequencing, protein electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), hemagglutination assays, and segregating generations were tested to identify transgene-free progeny. Agronomic traits were evaluated under field conditions.<h4>Results</h4>Twenty transformation events were generated, with an editing efFrontiers in plant science1737513https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12829480biostudies-literatureCRISPR/Cas9-mediated inactivation of the soybean agglutinin &lt;i&gt;Le1&lt;/i&gt; gene to improve grain quality.PMC12829480Kafer JMNepomuceno ALGirotto LRech ELHoshino RTKoltun AMertz-Henning LMMarin SRRSilveira CAfalseCRISPR/Cas9-mediated inactivation of the soybean agglutinin &lt;i&gt;Le1&lt;/i&gt; gene to improve grain quality.<h4>Introduction</h4>Soybean agglutinin (SBA) is a major antinutritional factor in soybean seeds, reducing digestibility in monogastric animals. The Le1 gene encodes the primary lectin accumulated in seeds. Genome editing offers a direct strategy to eliminate this factor in elite cultivars.<h4>Methods</h4>Two gRNAs targeting Le1 were inserted into a CRISPR/Cas9 binary vector and used for Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of the soybean cultivar BRS 537. Edited plants were screened by PCR, Sanger sequencing, protein electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), hemagglutination assays, and segregating generations were tested to identify transgene-free progeny. Agronomic traits were evaluated under field conditions.<h4>Results</h4>Twenty transformation events were generated, with an editing ef2025-01-01T00:00:00Z20252026-06-13T05:15:06.745Z2026-06-13T03:08:26.039ZS-EPMC128294804158467110.3389/fpls.2025.1737513