Winter Reading

[ChrisK]

ScienceDaily:
Coming soon: Genetically edited 'super bananas' and other fruit?

Short review in TiB:
Looking forward to genetically edited fruit crops

[ChrisK]

Mi-1.2, an R gene for aphid resistance in tomato, has direct negative effects on a zoophytophagous biocontrol agent, Orius insidiosus

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by ChrisK

Mi-1.2, an R gene for aphid resistance in tomato, has direct negative effects on a zoophytophagous biocontrol agent, Orius insidiosus

"Mi-1.2 is a single dominant gene in tomato that confers race-specific resistance against certain phloem-feeding herbivores including aphids, whiteflies, psyllids, and root-knot nematodes."
Thanks Chris excellent info.
Dutch

[ChrisK]

I found it interesting from a number of perspectives.

Originally Posted by Dutch

Thanks Chris excellent info.
Dutch

[Hermitian]

Originally Posted by ChrisK

Intro:
It's the pits: Ancient peach stones offer clues to fruit's origins



Archaeological Evidence for Peach (Prunus persica) Cultivation and Domestication in China

Oh darn. Trying to dig through the cobwebs of my memories. There was a nice "research review" on the genetic history of peaches from circa 2000. I read it about 2003. It might have been from UC Davis (since they have the GRIN repository). There were a number of specific collection sites (groves) called out by latitude and longitude. Can't imagine why it is still a matter of question, but perhaps this paper has refined that work.

[ChrisK]

Cool how real science works, huh?

Maybe they referenced the paper you are trying to recall?

Originally Posted by Hermitian

Can't imagine why it is still a matter of question, but perhaps this paper has refined that work.

[Hermitian]

Originally Posted by ChrisK

Cool how real science works, huh?

Maybe they referenced the paper you are trying to recall?

In general, I am still a believer in the graduate school process. A non-majority but significant number of students - whether qualifying at the M.S. or PhD level recognize the value of previous peer-reviewed authors. I am sure this opinion resonates with some readers here and is dissonant with others. I'm not sure I can help with the dissonance because it revolves around people's own insecurities. Regardless, in our nation the facts move on and the folks with a misunderstanding of measurements are left in "shock and awe" category.

With regard to the specific topic of peaches, I spent 20 years keeping tabs on cultivar research (among other interests) relevant to my environment. I am certain there will always be improvements. I'm also certain that they will be from cultivars sourced in China at latitudes 30-40 and refined by UC ARS. From my own experience in double-blind taste tests I don't believe there will be any improvement soon for my climate on Snow Queen nectarine (nectarines are fuzzless peaches often sold under-ripe) and Saturn peach (not the "donut" peach sold in stores, but the original Saturn cultivar sold by Dave Wilson and others).

[ChrisK]

Still in preview format.

Efficient gene editing in tomato in the first generation using the CRISPR/Cas9 system

Targeted mutagenesis of the tomato PROCERA gene using TALENs

[bower]

WOw. Sounds like they'll soon be putting amateur breeders out of business... good thing we're in it for the fun - or the trouble, if you prefer.

How long do you expect, Chris, before gene edited tomato seeds are on the market?

[Hermitian]

Originally Posted by bower

WOw. Sounds like they'll soon be putting amateur breeders out of business... good thing we're in it for the fun - or the trouble, if you prefer.

How long do you expect, Chris, before gene edited tomato seeds are on the market?

You'll need a USDA license plus a non-distribution agreement from the producer (and a pocket book to match it) if you want to buy GMO seeds.

[Fusion_power]

Typically 20 to 30 percent of a genome is non-functional DNA. Identifying sections that are not functional and removing them would be one target of DNA editing.

Restoring function of genes that have mutated in a way to become non functional would be a second target for editing.

Adding novel genes from related species would be the third target.

Adding denovo genes from unrelated species or even crossing kingdom boundaries would be another option.

The next possibility would be to construct genes from scratch designed and intended to perform specific functions.

The ultimate possibility is to move entire biopaths from one organism to another. Consider if the symbiotic nodulation relationship of cowpea were moved into maize. The result would be maize that produces most of the nitrogen needed for corn production. This would probably require reduction of DIMBOA in maize along with incorporation of parts of the immune structures from cowpea.

[bower]

Originally Posted by Hermitian

You'll need a USDA license plus a non-distribution agreement from the producer (and a pocket book to match it) if you want to buy GMO seeds.

Of course... they can always price themselves out of the market (at least, the home garden market). For my own part, I'm contented with the present genetic diversity in tomatoes, and just interested in breeding and selecting plants which do well enough in my local conditions.

At first glance, gene editing looks like a shortcut to create new varieties with all the desired traits - taste, production, and disease resistance. That would make it (eventually) a more efficient breeding process than conventional breeding, and less costly for those who have the technology.
I can see that's not the case as yet, since the reported efficiencies are low, and every plant has to be screened to assess the results of the process. But perhaps those efficiencies will increase as the process is refined.
One thing for sure, this development isn't driven by altruism. It's expensive, and that means the shortest route to a marketable product will probably prevail....

[ChrisK]

This one has been hitting the popular press.

'Most famous wheat gene' discovered, clears way for non-GMO breeding


PNAS paper:

Silencing of a metaphase I-specific gene results in a phenotype similar to that of the Pairing homeologous 1 (Ph1) gene mutations

[ChrisK]

Genome engineering via TALENs and CRISPR/Cas9 systems: challenges and perspectives

[ChrisK]

Analysis of Natural and Induced Variation in Tomato Glandular Trichome Flavonoids Identifies a Gene Not Present in the Reference Genome