Mutagenesis in the age of next-generation-sequencing and genome editing

Authors: Xin, Zhanguo

Submitted to: Plants
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/7/2023
Publication Date: 9/7/2023
Citation: Xin, Z. 2023. Mutagenesis in the age of next-generation-sequencing and genome editing. Plants.

Interpretive Summary: This editorial publication for the special issue "Mutagenesis in the Age of Next-Generation-Sequencing and Genome Editing" in the journal of Plants discusses the importance of mutagenesis, next-generation sequencing, and genome editing techniques in plant breeding. The author predicted that a combination of efficient mutagenesis, high throughput next-generation sequencing, and precise genome editing will lead to a true revolution in plant breeding. The information provided will be of interest to plant breeders, geneticists, and scientists working on genome editing.

Technical Abstract: Mutagenesis is a proven, classical technique for inducing a broad spectrum of DNA variations and has led to the creation of thousands of improved varieties in many crop species. The advancements in next-generation sequencing techniques make it possible to identify the causal mutations at an affordable price, providing valid targets for genome editing. However, the large number of background of mutations in mutants often prevents their direct use in plant breeding. This drawback can be efficiently overcome with the new precise genome editing techniques by introducing causal mutation in elites without the associated background mutations. A combination of efficient mutagenesis, high throughput next-generation sequencing, and precise genome editing will lead to a true revolution in plant breeding.