A Community Resource for Wheat and Rice Transformation
Lead Research Organisation:
National Institute of Agricultural Botany
Department Name: Centre for Research
Abstract
Rice and wheat are two of the world's most important crops. In 2017, global wheat and rice production is forecast to reach 749 and 503 million tonnes respectively. Despite this, global food security analysts estimate that food production needs to double to feed 9.5 billion people by 2050. As our climate changes in the future we will need wheat and rice varieties which are better adapted to drought and reduced fertilizer inputs, and are resistant to new pests and diseases to maintain a sustainable supply of affordable, nutritious and safe food. Breeding these new climate-adapted varieties has to start now, based on genetic research which uses all the available tools to study gene function and regulation. Many technologies will contribute to tackling these targets and it is inevitable that genetic modification (GM) will make a contribution. This will either be directly, with the development and introduction of GM wheat varieties with new traits, or indirectly, as a research tool to better understand how trait genes function.
GM crops have to date have largely been confined to traits giving resistance to herbicides or insects, but a new generation of traits which confer drought tolerance, disease resistance, yield improvements or health benefits are now being examined which will have an important role to play in achieving food security and future increases in production. Some of these genes come from other crop species and would be impossible to study in cereals without GM.
The Community Resource in Wheat and Rice Transformation will make it easier and more cost effective for UK academic researchers to access our high throughput wheat and rice transformation systems. It will encourage plant scientists working in other species to evaluate their genes in these important crops, and provide valuable materials for further research. In addition, the funding will also allow the technology to advance, increasing both the genetic tools available for gene expression and the opportunities to fine tune or abolish the expression of targeted genes in wheat.
GM crops have to date have largely been confined to traits giving resistance to herbicides or insects, but a new generation of traits which confer drought tolerance, disease resistance, yield improvements or health benefits are now being examined which will have an important role to play in achieving food security and future increases in production. Some of these genes come from other crop species and would be impossible to study in cereals without GM.
The Community Resource in Wheat and Rice Transformation will make it easier and more cost effective for UK academic researchers to access our high throughput wheat and rice transformation systems. It will encourage plant scientists working in other species to evaluate their genes in these important crops, and provide valuable materials for further research. In addition, the funding will also allow the technology to advance, increasing both the genetic tools available for gene expression and the opportunities to fine tune or abolish the expression of targeted genes in wheat.
Technical Summary
In 2017, global wheat and rice production is forecast to reach 749 and 503 million tonnes respectively yet many millions of people reliant upon these crops, are living in food poverty. Wheat is the most important crop in the UK, with an average yield of 8-10 t/ha; if we are to double production over the next 40 years we will need all available technologies to achieve this goal, including genetic modification.
The proposed resource will continue to provide plant scientists with access to the best public wheat transformation system currently available anywhere in the world and will provide access to an efficient rice transformation platform in the UK. The funding will allow the technology to advance, increasing the validated tools for precise gene expression in wheat and rice by increasing the number of characterised regulatory elements in both species.
The objectives are;
1. To provide resources for the transformation of 100 novel genes, 75 into wheat and 25 into rice. We intend that the resource will be used by researchers working with genes from model species, and wheat researchers with genes to test.
2. To extend the number of regulatory elements which are characterised in wheat and rice. There are a relatively small number of promoter and terminator sequences which have been characterised, and are available to the academic community. This hampers the transfer of multigene traits or complex pathways, and limits the technology. We will analyse 50 different regulatory elements in wheat and rice, including those identified from a range of tissue types, in order to identify elements which can be used for tissue specific or temporally regulated expression in these cereal species.
The proposed resource will continue to provide plant scientists with access to the best public wheat transformation system currently available anywhere in the world and will provide access to an efficient rice transformation platform in the UK. The funding will allow the technology to advance, increasing the validated tools for precise gene expression in wheat and rice by increasing the number of characterised regulatory elements in both species.
The objectives are;
1. To provide resources for the transformation of 100 novel genes, 75 into wheat and 25 into rice. We intend that the resource will be used by researchers working with genes from model species, and wheat researchers with genes to test.
2. To extend the number of regulatory elements which are characterised in wheat and rice. There are a relatively small number of promoter and terminator sequences which have been characterised, and are available to the academic community. This hampers the transfer of multigene traits or complex pathways, and limits the technology. We will analyse 50 different regulatory elements in wheat and rice, including those identified from a range of tissue types, in order to identify elements which can be used for tissue specific or temporally regulated expression in these cereal species.
Planned Impact
Rice and wheat are two of the world's most important crops. Rice is a staple food for nearly half of the world's population, and is particularly important for the inhabitants living below the poverty line in low and lower middle income countries where it provides more than 50% of daily calories. Wheat has the third largest production of any cereal, and is grown on the largest area of any land crop, yet there are 1.2 billion wheat-dependent poor and 2.5 billion wheat consuming poor globally.
In 2017, global wheat and rice production is forecast to reach 749 and 503 million tonnes respectively. Despite this, global food security analysts estimate that food production needs to double to feed 9.5 billion people by 2050. The impacts of climate change, the limitations of natural resources plus the advent of new biotic stresses as new pests and diseases emerge or spread in range will inevitably lead to increased food insecurity unless crop breeding efforts advance to increase yields by 2.5- to 3-fold. Many technologies will contribute to tackling this target and it is inevitable that genetic modification will make a contribution.
This resource will provide the facility for 100 genes nominated by plant scientists in the UK to be transformed into wheat (75 genes) or rice (25 genes). We will support external researchers in transferring GOIs (or identifying and cloning orthologues) to the appropriate vectors and the initial analysis of the transgenic lines, so that they can quickly assess the impact of their GOI in these important cereal crops. We will encourage two groups of researchers to use this resource:
1. Researchers working with genes in model species who wish test their utility in a major cereal such as wheat or rice.
2. Wheat researchers who have candidate genes to test, or genes underlying a QTL.
For BBSRC this project is directly relevant to Priority 1 on Food Security as it provides a mechanism of addressing traits in wheat in rice that are potentially difficult to achieve through traditional breeding approaches. By providing the transformation platform to plant scientists from diverse backgrounds, we anticipate that novel genes will be nominated which will address difficult targets. Prime examples here are in pest and disease resistance, water- and nutrient-use and uptake efficiencies, yield, and the reduction in crop losses through pre-harvest sprouting as all can have immediate impact on the sustainable supply of affordable, nutritious and safe food.
Wheat and rice transformation with characterised promoters and terminator sequences to control gene expression will have the potential to enable modification of metabolic pathways and complex traits such as modified starch for industrial use or improved bioenergy crops, developed in tandem with water or nitrogen use efficiency targets using these tools in a multi-trait approach. This will also be of direct relevance to Priority 2. The knowledge and technology improvements made in these cereals will be very relevant and transferable to other crop species in the future.
The proposed research will be of immense benefit to UK plant scientists and will provide novel candidate gene leads validated in wheat, which the UK wheat breeding community can develop in the future, either through GM or traditional breeding approaches. It will also provide a means whereby researchers can quickly test genes rice which are relevant to the food security challenges in developing countries, prior to applying for specific funding calls such as the Global Challenge Research Fund. It will therefore greatly extend the value of model crop research and provide a direct channel into the major cereal crops.
Dissemination of the project outcomes through workshops, publications and general publicity will ensure that the gene-based knowledge and technological advances reach the stakeholders, various sectors of agri-business and both governmental and non-governmental policy makers.
In 2017, global wheat and rice production is forecast to reach 749 and 503 million tonnes respectively. Despite this, global food security analysts estimate that food production needs to double to feed 9.5 billion people by 2050. The impacts of climate change, the limitations of natural resources plus the advent of new biotic stresses as new pests and diseases emerge or spread in range will inevitably lead to increased food insecurity unless crop breeding efforts advance to increase yields by 2.5- to 3-fold. Many technologies will contribute to tackling this target and it is inevitable that genetic modification will make a contribution.
This resource will provide the facility for 100 genes nominated by plant scientists in the UK to be transformed into wheat (75 genes) or rice (25 genes). We will support external researchers in transferring GOIs (or identifying and cloning orthologues) to the appropriate vectors and the initial analysis of the transgenic lines, so that they can quickly assess the impact of their GOI in these important cereal crops. We will encourage two groups of researchers to use this resource:
1. Researchers working with genes in model species who wish test their utility in a major cereal such as wheat or rice.
2. Wheat researchers who have candidate genes to test, or genes underlying a QTL.
For BBSRC this project is directly relevant to Priority 1 on Food Security as it provides a mechanism of addressing traits in wheat in rice that are potentially difficult to achieve through traditional breeding approaches. By providing the transformation platform to plant scientists from diverse backgrounds, we anticipate that novel genes will be nominated which will address difficult targets. Prime examples here are in pest and disease resistance, water- and nutrient-use and uptake efficiencies, yield, and the reduction in crop losses through pre-harvest sprouting as all can have immediate impact on the sustainable supply of affordable, nutritious and safe food.
Wheat and rice transformation with characterised promoters and terminator sequences to control gene expression will have the potential to enable modification of metabolic pathways and complex traits such as modified starch for industrial use or improved bioenergy crops, developed in tandem with water or nitrogen use efficiency targets using these tools in a multi-trait approach. This will also be of direct relevance to Priority 2. The knowledge and technology improvements made in these cereals will be very relevant and transferable to other crop species in the future.
The proposed research will be of immense benefit to UK plant scientists and will provide novel candidate gene leads validated in wheat, which the UK wheat breeding community can develop in the future, either through GM or traditional breeding approaches. It will also provide a means whereby researchers can quickly test genes rice which are relevant to the food security challenges in developing countries, prior to applying for specific funding calls such as the Global Challenge Research Fund. It will therefore greatly extend the value of model crop research and provide a direct channel into the major cereal crops.
Dissemination of the project outcomes through workshops, publications and general publicity will ensure that the gene-based knowledge and technological advances reach the stakeholders, various sectors of agri-business and both governmental and non-governmental policy makers.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Emma Wallington (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Jouanin A
(2020)
CRISPR/Cas9 Gene Editing of Gluten in Wheat to Reduce Gluten Content and Exposure-Reviewing Methods to Screen for Coeliac Safety.
in Frontiers in nutrition
Milner MJ
(2020)
Turning Up the Temperature on CRISPR: Increased Temperature Can Improve the Editing Efficiency of Wheat Using CRISPR/Cas9.
in Frontiers in plant science
| Description | This funding has enabled us to produce transgenic wheat and rice plants for a large number of plant science community researchers across the UK. By providing access to this technology this enables them to test new candidate genes in two important cereal crops, wheat and rice. This can serve as a pump priming tool for new areas of research, and also provides materials for new early career researchers and PhD students. In addition to this objective we have continued to develop new vectors and strategies to facilitate and improve the efficiency CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing in hexaploid wheat. This allows us to assist researchers achieve their specific project goals, and is also of interest for commercial applications. We have characterised new promoter elements in both rice and wheat. This will be of benefit for researchers who wish to use multi-gene constructs or achieve tissue specific expression of their gene of interest in these major cereal crops. We have continued to develop our rice transformation activities to include indica types in addition to japonica type rice, and also implemented additional selection systems. This widens the applicability of the resource to the community. |
| Exploitation Route | The resource provided by this project allows researchers to test genes at an early stage and generate early proof of concept data for subsequent funding applications. Regulatory elements, vectors and gene editing components are regularly used in other projects. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink |
| URL | https://www.niab.com/sites/default/files/imce_uploads/Research/List%201%20-%20CRWRT%20b_0.pdf |
| Description | The improvements which we have made to gene editing using CRISPR/Cas9 in wheat has had a significant impact on across all types of research projects. This has allowed researchers to edit genes in wheat more efficiently and to greater number of gene targets to understand complex traits. We have also hosted numerous visits and given invited talks to audiences including policy makers, stakeholders and farmers to both explain and demonstrate the new gene editing technologies, and the passage of the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill through Parliament. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2020 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink |
| Impact Types | Economic,Policy & public services |
| Title | Biological samples - Transgenic wheat plants transferred to applicant, Dr. Laura Dixon, Leeds University |
| Description | Exploring how an alternative temperature dependent development gene might be used to slow the reproductive transition in spring wheat. Spring wheat is widely grown across the World and offers the advantage of a short crop lifecycle which can fit between unfavourable growing seasons or other crops in fast rotation. However, this fast lifecycle significantly reduces the yield of spring wheat compared to winter wheat. Thitry nine transgenic Cadenza wheat plants have been transferred to the University of Leeds to test if delaying growth during the vegetative to floral transition can reduce this yield loss through enabling the production of additional spikelets. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Materials are being analysed. |
| Title | Transfer of transgenic wheat materials to Prof. David Twell, University of Leicester |
| Description | Generating knockout alleles in a wheat male-germline regulator . The transcription factor DUO POLLEN1 (DUO1) ensures plant fertility by controlling sperm cell development in pollen of Arabidopsis thaliana. The knockout of DUO1 function in wheat would allow gamete differentiation and germline regulatory networks to be studied for the first time in a UK crop. Forty transgenic wheat lines have been transferred to University of Leicester for analysis. These materials will also assist in the assembly of a broader molecular "toolbox" of regulatory components relevant to hybrid wheat research. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Materials are still under analysis |
| Title | Transfer of transgenic wheat to Prof. George Littlejohn, University of Plymouth |
| Description | Investigating the role of the circadian clock in rice blast disease using a luciferase reporter. Rice blast is a devastating fungal disease, destroying enough rice to feed ~60M people annually. Many pathosystems show time of day-dependent infection outcomes, where plants are better equipped to defend themselves, or pathogens are more virulent at certain times of day. Previous entrainment to environmental conditions may alter the rice immune response. Sixteen rice plants transformed with a pOsPCL1 luciferase reporter cassette have been transferred to the University of Plymouth allow the rice clock to be tracked in real time prior to and during rice blast infection. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Materials are still being evaluated |
| Title | Transgenic rice material transferred to applicant, Prof. Mario Caccamo, EMR |
| Description | Rice plants transformed with a gene identified from the forage grass Eragrostis curvula to study asexual reproduction by seed (apomixis). A candidate gene for ovule development during parthenogenesis has been transformed into rice with the aim of assessing its role in modulating the reproductive pathway in grasses. Seed from 23 independent transformed rice plants and control material produced. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Material is under evaluation by the researcher |
| Title | Transgenic rice plants (RAM1) transferred to applicant, Dr. Leonie Luginbuehl, University of Cambridge |
| Description | Investigating the cost-benefit balance of the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis in rice. The arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis significantly improves the uptake of essential mineral nutrients from the soil, but is associated with a substantial carbon cost for the plant. We have previously shown that the transcription factor RAM1 regulates carbon transfer from plants to mycorrhizal fungi. We propose to over-express RAM1 in rice roots to study how increased carbon allocation to mycorrhizal fungi affects the symbiotic association as well as plant physiology and growth during different developmental stages. Thirty-five rice plants transformed with 2 constructs for either root cell specific or inducible expression of RAM1 have been transferred to the researcher for analysis. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Rice plants are currently being grown and characterised. |
| Title | Transgenic rice plants transferred to Dr Samuel Brockington, University of Cambridge |
| Description | Betalains are plant pigments with high antioxidant activity and other health-promoting effects. There are few sources of these pigments in food crops, due to their limited distribution in the plant kingdom. Wheat plants transformed with an betalain over-expression construct; 40 transformed plants plus controls have been produced in order to study whether expression of these compounds improve key markers of human health and nutrition, and also if they may protect against fungi in wheat. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Material under evaluation by the researcher |
| Title | Transgenic rice plants transferred to Prof. Julie Gray, University of Sheffield |
| Description | Improving agricultural productivity under future climates will require the combination of efficient photosynthesis and stress tolerance. This project will use recent findings to improve carbon assimilation and reduce water requirements in rice. The Calvin-Benson cycle will be enhanced by over-expressing fructose-1,6-bisphosphate adolase, and this trait will be introduced into our existing rice lines that have reduced stomatal densities. Combining these two traits will lead to improvements in water-use and photosynthetic rates, and thus more "crop per drop". Transgenic rice plants transformed with an fructose-1,6-bisphosphate adolase construct; 23 independent transformed plants plus control material produced and transferred. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Material under evaluation |
| Title | Transgenic rice plants transferred to applicant, Dr Daniella Vlad and Prof. Jane Langdale, University of Oxford |
| Description | Manipulating leaf venation architecture to address plant performance. This project aims to manipulate leaf venation architecture in wheat with a view to modifying water uptake properties and/or photosynthetic capacity. Forty-four independent rice plants transformed with a gene editing construct have been transferred to the researcher for evaluation |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Materials are currently being characterised and evaluated by the researchers. |
| Title | Transgenic rice plants transferred to applicant, Dr. Frederica Theodoulou, Rothamsted Research |
| Description | Understanding the role of anaerobic germination tolerance in rice. There is a pressing need to develop rice varieties with improved germination and seedling establishment under anaerobic conditions. Candidate anaerobic germination (AG) tolerance genes have been identified via detailed transcriptomic analysis of germplasm with differing AG tolerance. We wish to test whether over-expression of two candidate confers AG tolerance to Oryza sativa ssp. Japonica cv. Dongjin, which germinates poorly under low oxygen. Ultimately, this information may be used to breed or engineer new resilient rice varieties. Forty-five rice plants transformed with either of two candidate gene expression constructs have been transferred to the researcher, Prof. Theodoulou for evaluation. Twenty-seven rice plants transformed with the candidate gene expression cassette have been transferred to Prof. Theodoulou for characterisation. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Plants are currently being evaluated. |
| Title | Transgenic rice plants transferred to applicant, Dr. Jeongmin Choi, University of Cambridge |
| Description | Uncovering the roles of nitrogen signalling in arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis in rice. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis is the most prevalent symbiotic alliance between fungi and land plants, including crops. The symbiosis confers various benefits, including mineral provision, bio-protection and soil health. However, it only occurs under poor nutrient conditions. In this project, we will investigate whether nitrogen signalling is necessary for establishing AM symbiosis in rice. Understanding this will help us use AM symbiosis to reduce our dependency on inorganic fertilisers leading to more sustainable agriculture. Two gene editing constructs have been transformed into rice and 44 transgenic plants transferred to the researcher to characterise the gene edits and evaluate consequence of knock outing out the two target genes. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Materials are currently being characterised and evaluated by the researcher. |
| Title | Transgenic rice plants transferred to applicant, Dr. Robert Caine, University of Leeds |
| Description | Temperature increases are already putting rice yields under serious threat, and this is only set to worsen. 24 independent rice plants transformed with a variant of ICE1/SCRM (SCRM) gene have been produced to increase the number of stomata on rice leaves and measure the effect on transpirational cooling and yield in plants subjected to drought conditions. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Material is under evaluation by the researcher |
| Title | Transgenic rice plants transferred to applicant, Dr. Ronelle Roth, University of Oxford |
| Description | A role for small interfering RNAs in modulating arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis in rice. Most land plants form beneficial partnerships with soil-dwelling arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. AM symbiosis enhances crop productivity offering an environmentally sustainable alternative to chemical fertilizers. We recently discovered that a distinct class of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), produced by Dicer-like 2, is needed to maintain AM symbiosis in tomato. This provided a first indication that siRNAs modulate the interaction. In this proposal we will examine if the role of DCL2-dependent siRNAs is conserved in the monocot cereal rice. Thirty rice plants transformed with a DCL2 gene editing construct have been transferred to the researcher, Dr Ronelle Roth for edit characterisation and evaluation. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Materials are currently being characterised for edits and evaluated. |
| Title | Transgenic rice plants transferred to applicant, Dr. Smita Kurup, Rothamsted Research |
| Description | Overexpression of an Arabidopsis IQD gene conferring drought resistance in a monocot. In view of the predicted consequences of climate change the generation of crops with enhanced resilience to drought is becoming paramount. We have identified a novel IQD gene from Arabidopsis which, when constitutively overexpressed, confers a `succulent` phenotype to the transgenics with a much improved ability to withstand drought. The same effect is observed upon transfer of this IQD in other dicotyledonous species (Camelina sativa, poplar, tomato) but whether monocots are similarly altered remains to be determined and will be addressed in this proposed work. Twenty-eith transgenic rice plants transformed with the IQD gene cassette have been transferred to the researcher, Dr Kurup, for evaluation. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Materials are currently being evaluated |
| Title | Transgenic rice plants transferred to applicant, Dr. Verena Kriechbaumer, Oxford Brookes University |
| Description | Rice plants act as a chimney for the transfer of methane from the soil to the atmosphere. Fluxes of methane through plants in total are estimated to account for 10 to 40 % of annual global emissions. Hence plants are a valuable point of action for methane detoxification processes. The bacterial particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO) is the predominant methane oxidation catalyst in nature. Transgenic rice plants expressing the pMMO enzyme complex have been produced to study its potential contribution to methane detoxification. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Materials are under evaluation by the researcher |
| Title | Transgenic rice plants transferred to applicant, Prof. Mario Caccamo, NIAB |
| Description | Functional characterisation of a putative gene involved in parthenogenesis in the grass Eragrostis curvula. The forage grass Eragrostis curvula is an ideal model to study asexual reproduction by seed (apomixis). Using comparative genomics tools four genomic regions associated with this trait including a putative novel gene have been identified. Initial expression analysis supports the hypothesis for a role of this gene in the ovule development during parthenogenesis. This gene has been transformed into rice with the aim of assessing its role in modulating the reproductive pathway in grasses. Twenty transgenic rice plants have ben regenerated and seed transferred to the researcher, Prof. Caccamo |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Materials are currently being evaluated. |
| Title | Transgenic rice plants transferred to applicant, Prof. Uta Paszkowski, University of Cambridge |
| Description | Elucidating the role of DUF538 for fungal colonisation of rice roots. During rice root colonisation by beneficial or pathogenic fungi, namely the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis and Magnaporthe oryzae, respectively, a set of Domain of Unknown Function538 (DUF538) genes is strongly induced as either fungus commences to intracellularly proliferate in the root tissue. We hypothesise that DUF538 proteins are involved with intracellular accommodation of filamentous microbes irrespective of the overall outcome of the interaction. Twenty-four rice plants transformed with a gene editing construct to edit 11 candidate genes have been transferred to the researcher, Prof, Paszkowski for edit characterisation and further evaluation. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Rice plants are being evaluated for edit characterisation and consequence of the gene knock outs. |
| Title | Transgenic rice plants transferred to applicant, Prof. Uta Paszkowski, University of Cambridge. |
| Description | Common mechanisms in pathogenesis and symbiosis - 2. The rice blast fungus Mangaporthe oryzae causes the most devastating fungal disease of cultivated rice. Rhizophagus irregularis on the other hand belongs to the wide-spread beneficial arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi that readily colonise most land plants, including all cereal crops. Both fungi infect rice roots and invaginate the plant plasma membrane for hyphal intracellular proliferation. On the side of the host, common mechanisms must exist to accommodate hyphae of either filamentous fungus inside root cells. Comparing the transcriptome of rice roots in response to colonisation by either fungus revealed a number of genes as being co-upregulated. Three of these were selected on the grounds of having no detectable expression in the absence of fungal root colonisation but show high levels of transcripts in colonised roots. These genes are predicted to encode a DUF538 protein, a Lectin Receptor-like kinase (LecRLK) and a member of the Exo70 family. Here we wish to extend our functional analysis to knockout the rice EXO70 gene. Thirty gene edited rice lines transformed with a Exo70 gene editing construct have been transferred to the researcher for edit characterisation and evaluation with AM and pathogenic fungi. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Materials are currently being evaluated by the researcher for edit characterisation and evaluation with AM and pathogenic fungi. |
| Title | Transgenic rice plants transferred to applicant, Prof. Uta Paszowski, University of Cambridge |
| Description | Common mechanisms in pathogenesis and symbiosis. The rice blast fungus Mangaporthe oryzae causes the most devastating fungal disease of cultivated rice. Rhizophagus irregularis on the other hand belongs to the wide-spread beneficial arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi that readily colonise most land plants, including all cereal crops. Both fungi infect rice roots and invaginate the plant plasma membrane for hyphal intracellular proliferation. On the side of the host, common mechanisms must exist to accommodate hyphae of either filamentous fungus inside root cells. Comparing the transcriptome of rice roots in response to colonisation by either fungus revealed a number of genes as being co-upregulated. Three of these were selected on the grounds of having no detectable expression in the absence of fungal root colonisation but show high levels of transcripts in colonised roots. These genes are predicted to encode a DUF538 protein, a Lectin Receptor-like kinase (LecRLK) and a member of the Exo70 family. To address the functional relevance of these genes, a CRISPR/Cas9 approach has in the past been initiated for the DUF538 and the resultant transformants are currently characterised for the occurrence of edit-events. Here we extend our functional analysis to knockout the rice LecRLK gene via CRISPR-editing. Thirty-two rice plants transformed with a LecRLK gene editing construct have been transferred to the researcher for edit characterisation and evaluation with AM and pathogenic fungi. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Plants are currently being characterised and evaluated by the researcher. |
| Title | Transgenic rice plants transferred to applicant, Prof. Zoe Wilson, University of Nottingham |
| Description | Reproductive heat tolerance in rice. Climate change has caused frequent occurrence of heat stress episodes that coincide with temperature sensitive reproductive processes in rice. This results to a decline in spikelet fertility and grain yield. To enhance heat tolerance during the flowering stage in rice, the project seeks to characterize the molecular mechanisms of heat stress transcription factor (HSFA2a). This project aims to advance our understanding on the functions of OsHSFA2a in reproductive heat tolerance. Twenty-two rice plants transformed with an OsHSFA2a expression construct have been transferred to the researcher for further evaluation. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Rice plants are currently being evaluated. |
| Title | Transgenic wheat and rice plants transferred to applicants, Prof. Andrew Fleming and Julie Gray, University of Sheffield |
| Description | Shape shifting stomata: The role of geometry in plant cell function. The essential role of grass stomata in controlling plant photosynthetic gas exchange and water use in cereal crops makes understanding their function of vital importance. Using cellular geometry data extracted via confocal microscopy and image segmentation, the applicants aim to generate a 3-dimensional mechanical model of grass stomata to address how a 4-celled system (as found in grasses) is able to confer superior performance, with associated improvements in water-use efficiency, over the 2-celled system found in eudicots. A reporter construct has been used to transform both wheat and rice. Thirty two transformed wheat plants and twenty three transformed rice plants have been created and transferred to the applicants at the University of Sheffield. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Applicants are currently characterising the transgenic wheat and rice plants. |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants ( construct 2) transferred to applicant, Dr. Philippa Borrill, University of Birmingham |
| Description | Abiotic stresses such as drought and salinity are major constraints on global crop production. A transcription factor has been identified in rice that improves tolerance to drought, salinity and cold stresses but we do not know if this gene could also be used to increase wheat stress tolerance. Wheat plants transformed with a transcription factor over-expression construct; 45 independent plants, plus controls have been produced to to test whether overexpression leads to an increase in tolerance to drought, salinity and cold stress in wheat. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Material is currently being evaluated by researcher. Poster presented by the researcher at the Monogram Conference, April 2021. |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants (construct 1) transferred to applicant, Dr. Philippa Borrill, University of Brimingham |
| Description | Wheat, like many other staple cereals, contains low levels of the essential micronutrients iron and zinc. A gene has been identified in rice that increases iron and zinc content in the grain which could increase micronutrient intake in the human diet and therefore improve human health. Wheat plants transformed with a NAP-A construct: 37 independent plants plus control material have been produced to test whether this gene could also be effective in wheat to improve iron and zinc content. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Material is currently under evaluation by applicant. Poster presented by the researcher at the Monogram Conference, April 2021. |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants (construct 2) transferred to Prof Paul Jarvis, University of Oxford |
| Description | Recent work in Arabidopsis led to the discovery of a novel ubiquitin-dependent pathway of plastid proteostasis, which we termed CHLORAD (for chloroplast-associated protein degradation) (Ling et al., Science, 2019). Manipulation of the CHLORAD pathway in Arabidopsis leads to traits that are of interest in the development of new crop improvement strategies (e.g., improved stress tolerance, delayed senescence). Wheat plants transformed with an SP2 RNAi construct; 35 transformed plants plus controls were produced to manipulate the expression of SP2 in wheat, a central component of the CHLORAD pathway. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Material is under evaluation by applicant |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants and seed (construct 1) transferred to applicant, Prof. Paul Jarvis, University of Oxford |
| Description | Recent work in Arabidopsis led to the discovery of a novel ubiquitin-dependent pathway of plastid proteostasis, which we termed CHLORAD (for chloroplast-associated protein degradation) (Ling et al., Science, 2019). Manipulation of the CHLORAD pathway in Arabidopsis leads to traits that are of interest in the development of new crop improvement strategies (e.g., improved stress tolerance, delayed senescence). Wheat plants transformed with an SP2 over-expression construct; 38 transformed plants plus controls were produced to manipulate the expression of SP2 in wheat, a central component of the CHLORAD pathway. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Material is currently under evaluation by applicant. |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants transferred to applicant Dr James Cockram, NIAB |
| Description | Genome editing of tandemly duplicated candidate genes at the wheat Snn3-B1 locus controlling sensitivity to the effector Tox3. Stagonospora nodorum blotch (SNB) in wheat is caused by the fungal pathogen Parastagonospora nodorum. SNB resistance is underpinned by host response to protein effectors secreted by the pathogen. We used P. nodorum effector Tox3 to fine-map the corresponding wheat sensitivity locus, Snn3-B1. Overlaying RNAseq data (2 genotypes, 2 treatments, 5 time points, 3 biological reps per genotype/treatment/timepoint combination) and exploitation of the recently released wheat genome assembly, we have identified a strong Snn3-B1 candidate for functional validation via CRISPR/Cas9. Eighty four independent wheat plants transformed with aTox3 CRISPR/Cas9 construct have been transferred to the researcher for evaluation. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Materials are being evaluated by the researcher. |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants transferred to applicant, Dr Christophe Lambing and Prof. Malcolm Hawkesford, Rothmsted Research |
| Description | Manipulating gene expression of ASY1 to remodel meiotic recombination and the pattern of genetic diversity in wheat. ASY1 is a component of the chromosome axis and mediates reciprocal exchanges of genetic information between homologous chromosomes which create novel genetic diversity during meiosis. Arabidopsis ASY1 is enriched towards the centromeres and promotes high recombination in adjacent regions. Reduction of ASY1 gene expression causes a redistribution of recombination towards the telomeres. In wheat, recombination is exclusively located in chromosome ends where ASY1 is enriched. We propose to over-express ASY1 to remodel its distribution and manipulate the recombination landscape. Fifty-four independent transformed wheat plants transferred to the researchers for evaluation. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | BBSRC grant application has been submitted by Dr Lambing for consideration, January 2023 |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants transferred to applicant, Dr Colleen Drapek and Dr. Alexander Jones, University of Cambridge |
| Description | Developing GA wheat hormone reporter resources for UK researchers. The phytohormone gibberellin (GA) plays key roles during various stages of growth and flowering. Biosensor reporters of GA have been critical for obtaining novel insights into the spatial and temporal regulation of hormone responsive growth and development for model plants like Arabidopsis. This project, in collaboration with the Wheat Hormone reporter group, aims to generate wheat lines carrying a cereal-optimised GA biosensor reporter. Fifty-nine wheat plants transformed with 2 constructs for expressinon of either a responsive or non-responsive GA reporter cassette have been transferred to the researchers for evaluation. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Plants are currently being evaluated by the researchers. |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants transferred to applicant, Dr Marco Catoni, University of Birmingham |
| Description | Exploitation of silenced genes for wheat breeding. The aim of this project is to build a wheat line transformed with a transcriptional silenced reporter gene. This transgenic reporter line will be use to determine conditions able to efficiently suppress transcriptional silencing in wheat. The release of transcriptional silencing can potentially activate genes and transposable elements not normally expressed in natural conditions, generating new stable traits, and the exploitation of this genetic and epigenetic variation in breeding program can potentially contribute to develop better varieties. Fifty transgenic wheat plants from wheat transformation experiments with two constructs have been regenerated and transferred to Dr Catoni for evaluation |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Materials are currently being evaluated. |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants transferred to applicant, Dr. Alistair McCormick, University of Edinburgh |
| Description | Generating a platform for assembling an algal CO2-concentrating mechanism in rice. Ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) is the driving force behind CO2 assimilation in plants and a key engineering target for improving C3 crop yields. One promising strategy to increase Rubisco efficiency is to introduce an algal CO2-concentrating mechanism (CCM). This project aims to transfer current progress from Arabidopsis into rice by engineering a key requirement for assembly of the algal CCM - expressing the small subunit of Rubisco from the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and removing the five native small subunits. Twenty three rice plants transformed with a green algal CCM sequence have been generated and transferred to Dr McCormick. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Materials are currently being evaluated. |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants transferred to applicant, Dr. Ari Sadanandum, University of Durham |
| Description | Fungal diseases account for the greatest losses to wheat yield globally. The phytohormone Jasmonic-acid (JA) has essential roles in growth and immunity. Wheat plants transformed with an TaEDF3 RNAi construct; 22 transgenic plants plus controls have been produced to evaluate a new genetic regulator of JA responses in wheat and its mediation of resistance against the fungal pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Material under evaluation by researcher |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants transferred to applicant, Dr. Francesco Licausi, University of Oxford |
| Description | Enhancing hypoxic germination in wheat. Flooding conditions pose a grave threat to food security, as they cause major yield losses worldwide. Most crops are susceptible to this stress, especially at the germination stage, due to restricted oxygen availability underwater. Indeed, most cereals, including wheat, are unable to germinate under strict hypoxia. By merging the advances of plant genetics, physiology and synthetic biology, the applicant devised a strategy to implement this trait in wheat, thus enabling this crop to cope with the impending climate change. Thirty six transgenic wheat plants transformed with a novel expression cassette have been created and transferred to Dr. Licausi |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Dr Licausci is currently evaluating the transgenic wheat plants. |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants transferred to applicant, Dr. Francesco Licausi, University of Oxford |
| Description | Enhancing hypoxic germination in wheat. Flooding conditions pose a grave threat to food security, as they cause major yield losses worldwide. Most crops are susceptible to this stress, especially at the germination stage, due to restricted oxygen availability underwater. Indeed, most cereals, including wheat, are unable to germinate under strict hypoxia. By merging the advances of plant genetics, physiology and synthetic biology, we devised a strategy to implement this trait in wheat, thus enabling this crop to cope with the impending climate change. Fifty independent transformed wheat plants were created with a second construct for this project and transferred to the researcher, Dr Licausi for evaluation |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Plants are under currently evaluation |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants transferred to applicant, Dr. Matt Jones, University of Glasgow |
| Description | One of the first metabolic consequences of osmotic stress is the induction of 5'-PhosphoAdenosine 3'-Phospate (PAP), which activates a retrograde signalling cascade that promotes ABA-induced signalling pathways- in part by inactivating a family of exoribonucleases. Constitutive production of PAP promotes drought tolerance but has negative consequences for plant growth. Wheat plants transformed with an XRN4 gene editing construct; 47 independent transgenic plants plus control plants have been produced to evaluate expression of candidate exoribonucleases (downstream of PAP accumulation) to promote drought tolerance while minimising the adverse effects on growth. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Material under evaluation by researcher |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants transferred to applicant, Dr. Natasha Eleni, University of Cambridge |
| Description | Cytosine DNA methylation is a regulatory epigenetic mark that contributes to genome stability and controls gene expression. Several protein factors, including DDM1, are required for cytosine DNA methylation maintenance. Cytosine DNA hypomethylated ddm1 mutants in Arabidopsis show an altered landscape of meiotic recombination and compromised heterosis, or hybrid vigour. Wheat plants transformed with a TaDDM gene editing construct; 95 independent wheat plants plus controls have been produced in order to study the effect of cytosine DNA hypomethylation on meiotic recombination and hybrid vigour in bread wheat. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Material is under evaluation by researcher |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants transferred to applicant, Dr. Peter Eastmond, Rothamsted Research |
| Description | Expression of a mutant form of an enzyme that enhances lipid content in wheat. Lipids account for ~3% of dry weight in grasses. There is an incentive to breed grasses with lipid content up to ~6% to improve ruminant livestock productivity and suppress methane emissions. Using wheat as a model grass, we have identified a gain-of-function mutant in a lipid biosynthetic enzyme that's associated with an increase in leaf lipid content. The aim is to test if the mutation is causal by transforming wheat with a copy of the mutant allele or with a wild type allele as a control. Two expression cassettes for the mutant or wild type allele have been transformed into wheat. Sixty transformed wheat plants have been transferred to Dr Eastmond for lipid profile characterisation. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Materials are being evaluated by Dr Eastmond |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants transferred to applicant, Dr. Peter Eastmond, Rothamsted Research |
| Description | Seed vigour is important for good crop establishment when cultivating rice by direct seeding. Many Asian farmers are transitioning from puddled transplanted rice to forms of direct seeding because labour and water availability are in decline and their associated costs are rising. The Eastmond group have performed a genome wide association study on ~700 rice accessions and identified a candidate gene to control seed vigour. Rice plants transformed with the candidate gene; 25 transformed plants plus controls have been produced to characterise the effector of the gene on seed vigour. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Materials are under evaluation |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants transferred to applicant, Dr. Smita Kurup, Rothamsted Research |
| Description | With rising population and diminishing agricultural land, it is increasingly urgent to improve crop yields. Increasing seed size and number in seed crop species are important routes to achieving this goal and improving food security. Previous work within the Kurup group and Professor Scott's laboratory have shown that loss-of function mutations in the transcription factor AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR 2 in Arabidopsis results in larger seed. Rice plants transformed with an ARF2 over-expression construct; 20 transformed plants plus controls have been produced to investigate the consequences of loss of function of this gene in rice. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Material is under evaluation by the researcher |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants transferred to applicant, Dr.Peter van Esse & prof Cyril Zipfel, Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich |
| Description | Deploying the Arabidopsis immune receptor MIK2 in wheat to combat Fusarium infection and associated mycotoxins. Immune receptors localized on the plant cell-surface enable plants to perceive pathogens and mount a defence response. The Brassicaceae-specific cell-surface receptor MIK2 contributes to Fusarium resistance as it enables recognition of Fusarium elicitors. The applicants hypothesise that transfer of MIK2 from Arabidopsis into wheat may confer enhanced Fusarium resistance by expanding the ability of wheat to detect this pathogen. Thirty five wheat plants transformed with an MIK2 expression cassette have been transferred to the applicants to determine whether cereal losses to Fusarium infection and mycotoxin levels within the food system can be reduced. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Materials are currently being evaluated by the researchers |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants transferred to applicant, Prof. Cristobal Uauy, JIC |
| Description | Wheat transformation to improve thermotolerance and mitigate the negative impact of high temperature events on yield and quality. Using RNA-Seq a rotamase gene which is strongly induced in wheat grains under heat-stress in field experiments has been identified. Functional studies in Arabidopsis thaliana have shown that rotamases are essentials for thermotolerance. However, the biological functions of these genes in wheat remains unknown. This project overexpresses a rotamase gene in wheat to test the hypothesis that high levels of expression will confer thermotolerance to heat shock events, thus mitigating the negative impact on grain yield and quality. Thirty-one independent transgenic wheat plants have been transferred to the researcher, Prof Uauy for evauation. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Materials are currently under evaluation |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants transferred to applicant, Prof. Giles Johnson, University of Manchester |
| Description | Plastid Terminal Oxidase - A target for improving food security. Changing climates and the growing global population make food security a major public concern. Generating new strategies to redesign photosynthesis and increase crop efficiency and productivity will be essential. The plastid terminal oxidase (PTOX) has been identified in stress-tolerant plants, as a safety valve for photosynthesis, protecting them against environmental stress. This project tests whether this protection can be transferred to cereals. Forty-six wheat plants transformed with a PTOX expression construct have been transferred to the researcher, Prof. Giles Johnson for evaluation |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Wheat plants are currently under evaluation by the researcher. A BBSRC RM proposal has recently been awarded to Prof Giles Johnson, with Dr Emma Wallington as Co-I; BB/X007235/1 . |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants transferred to applicant, Prof. Graeme Kettles, University of Birmingham |
| Description | Suppression of wheat defence by fungal leucine-rich repeat proteins. Plant immune systems are powered by cell-surface and intracellular immune sensors that frequently contain leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domains. These domains facilitate recognition of pathogen-derived molecules and help trigger defence activation. Numerous fungal pathogens are predicted to secrete LRR domain-containing proteins into plant tissues during infection. This project will test whether expression of fungal LRR-domain containing proteins in wheat suppresses ability of wheat plants to mount defence responses. Two constructs to express a fungal LRR-domain containing protein were transformed into wheat variety Cadenza. A total of sixty one transformed wheat plants were transferred to Prof. Twell for evaluation. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | The materials are still being characterised by Prof. Twell. |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants transferred to applicant, Prof. Julian Hibberd, University of Cambridge |
| Description | Engineering gene expression in bundle sheath cells of wheat leaves. One promoter has been shown to drive expression in rice bundle sheath cells. But, expression is weak and late. Moreover, to our knowledge no promoters for this cell type have been defined for wheat or other cereals. We have recently identified a promoter that drives early, strong and specific expression in rice bundle sheath cells. We will test whether this sequence can generate expression in wheat bundle sheath cells, and by linking it to a transcription factor activate photosynthesis in these cells. Forty-seven transgenic wheat plants have been transferred to the researcher for evaluation. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Plants are currently being evaluated. |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants transferred to applicant, Prof. Simon McQueen-Mason, University of York |
| Description | Increasing wheat grain size through pectin modification We previously showed that wheat grain yield can be increased by 11% by overexpressing expansins during grain development. This approach requires the use of GMOs. Expansins increase cell wall extensibility, whereas pectins decrease cell wall extensibility and other work has shown that decreasing pectin can increase growth. We propose to increase grain size by decreasing pectin content during grain development by knocking out pectin biosynthetic genes. Forty-one wheat plants transformed with a CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing construct targeted to pectin sequences have been transferred to Prof. McQueen-Mason for edit genotyping and phenotypic evaluation. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Materials are currently being genotyped |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants transferred to applicant, Prof. Tracy Lawson, University of Essex |
| Description | As stomatal behaviour determines gaseous flux, guard cells are a target for manipulation to improve plant water use. Stomata open in response to light, with a specific blue light response occurring at light levels too low to drive photosynthesis, greatly reducing water use efficiency. The aim of this research is to manipulate blue light photoreceptors (PHOTS) in GCs, to reduce stomatal sensitivity to BL. We will investigate the impact on photosynthesis and WUE under varying water availability and temperature conditions. Thirty-seven transgenic wheat plants transformed with a cell-specific RNAi silencing construct to manipulate the expression of blue light photoreceptors have been transferred to the researcher for evaluation. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Materials are currently being evaluated by the researcher. |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants transferred to applicant, Prof. Tracy Lawson, University of Essex |
| Description | As stomatal behaviour determines uptake of CO2 for photosynthesis (A) and water loss via transpiration, close coupling of stomatal conductance (gs) with mesophyll demands for CO2 is important for A and water use. Guard cells contain chloroplasts that are similar to mesophyll cells (Lawson, 2009) however, their role is unknown. The aim of this research is to manipulate electron transport exclusively in the guard cells to assess their importance in osmoregulation, photosynthesis and the relationship between A and gs. Thirty-seven transgenic wheat plants transformed with a cell-specific RNAi silencing construct to manipulate guard cell electron transport have been transferred to the researcher, Prof Lawson, for evaluation |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Materials are under evaluation by researcher |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants transferred to applicant, Prof. Uta Paszkowski, University of Cambridge |
| Description | Visualising DUF538 during fungal colonisation of rice roots. During rice root colonisation by beneficial or pathogenic fungi, namely the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis and Magnaporthe oryzae, respectively, a set of Domain of Unknown Function538 (DUF538) genes is strongly induced as either fungus commences to intracellularly proliferate in the root tissue. We hypothesise that DUF538 proteins are involved with intracellular accommodation of filamentous microbes irrespective of the overall outcome of the interaction. Fifteen rice plants transformed with a DUF538-fluorescent reporter expression cassette have been transferred to the researcher, Prof. Uta Paszowski for evaluation. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Rice plants are currently being evaluated by the researcher. |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants transferred to applicants, Dr.Tom Bennett and Dr.Laura Dixon, University of Leeds |
| Description | Cytokinin Response Reporter for Wheat. The project aims to create a wheat version of the widely used cytokinin-responsive TCSn:GFP reporter gene as a tool to understand cytokinin response and distribution during wheat development. This will be a valuable tool for the emerging wheat development community, and will help to understand how fine-tuning cytokinin responses in elite wheat varieties could lead to changes in shoot architecture or increased leaf-longevity (e.g. by decreased leaf senescence). Forty-six transgenic wheat plants transformed with the TCSn:GFP reporter construct have been transferred to the researchers for evaluation. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Materials are currently being evaluated. |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants transferred to applicants, Dr Dylan Phillips and Prof. Huw Jones, IBERS, Aberystwyth University |
| Description | Does overexpression of SbAquaporin like gene enhance salt and drought tolerance in wheat? To mitigate the threat posed by salinity, research into the mechanisms that enable salt-tolerant plants to survive in this challenging environment is required. The study of halophytes that grow in highly saline soil and drought conditions could be a means to resolve this issue. A gene predicted to endow the halophytic character has been isolated and characterised from Salicornia brachiate, and will be overexpressed in wheat and salt-tolerance assayed. Thirty one independent transformed wheat plants have been transferred to the researchers, Dylan Phillips and Huw Jones for evaluation |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Materials are currently being evaluated. |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants transferred to applicants, Dr. Christophe Lambing, Prof. Malcolm Hawkesford, Rothamsted Research |
| Description | Generating knockout line of the master regulator ATR kinase to increase meiotic recombination in wheat. ATR kinase is a master regulator regulating the response of DNA repair. During meiosis, programmed-DNA double strand breaks are repaired using the homologous chromosome as template resulting in DNA crossovers and formation of new allele combinations. atr Arabidopsis showed hyper inter-homologue recombination activity associated with an elevation of crossovers throughout the genome. In contrast, wheat crossovers are restricted to the distal chromosomal regions. We propose to knockout ATR in wheat to increase the crossover events and create novel genetic diversity. Thirty independent transenic wheat lines were transferred to the applicants for evaluation |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Materials are currently being evaluated |
| Title | Transgenic wheat plants transferred to applicants, Tom Bennett, Stefan Kepinski and Laura Dixon at University of Leeds |
| Description | Developing auxin reporters in wheat. The researchers have created a wheat version of the widely used auxin-responsive DII-VENUS reporter gene, along with a non-auxin responsive mDII-VENUS control gene construct, as tools to understand auxin response and distribution during wheat development as a valuable tool for the emerging wheat development community. Seventy four transgenic wheat plants transformed with the two constructs have been transferred to the university of Leeds for further analysis to help understand how fine-tuning auxin responses in elite wheat varieties could lead to yield increases (e.g. by increased spikelet formation) or increased resilience (e.g. steeper and deeper root systems). |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Materials are still being evaluated |
| Title | Turning Up the Temperature On CRISPR: Increased Temperature can Improve The Editing Efficiency Of Wheat Using CRISPR/Cas9. |
| Description | We examined the role of temperature to understand if CRISPR/Cas9 editing efficiency could be improved in wheat. Increasing the temperature of the tissue culture or of the seed germination and early growth phase increased the frequency of mutation in wheat when the Cas9 enzyme was driven by the ZmUbi promoter but not the OsActin promoter. These results demonstrate that CRISPR/Cas9 editing efficiency can be significantly increased in a polyploid cereal species with a simple change in growth conditions to facilitate increased mutations for the creation of homozygous or null knock-outs. |
| Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | The use of increased temperature regime in either the tissue culture or theT1 seed germination and early growth phase has made CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing of hexaploid wheat much easier to accomplish. This strategy is now being used by ourselves and other groups. |
| Description | Cross institute Interdisciplinary Workshop - Predictive Breeding & Genomic Approaches Roslin Institute, Edinburgh |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Oral presentation |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | International Wheat Yield Parnership meeting at NIAB - oral presentation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | interest in further projects |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Invited keynote talk "Gene editing in rice and wheat", CamBioScience CRISPR design and strategy course, Cambridge 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | CamBioScience CRISPR course participants were largely focussed on human or animal cell applications, so no direct impact |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Invited plenary lecture at the InnovAg Translational Photosynthesis meeting in Brisbane, Australia - June 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Plenary lecture |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | http://photosynthesis.org.au/innovag/ |
| Description | Invited talk - AHDB/NFU Northern Regional Conference, January 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk on Gene Editing and the Future of Farming |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Invited talk at Gene Editing conference, SLUC, Cambridge 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk on our use of gene editing in rice and wheat across a range of projects |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Invited talk at the International Wheat Congress - satellite mtg - July 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | AB stood in for EW at short notice due to a bereavement. Talk included highlights in wheat transformation of complex biosynthetic pathways and gene editing success. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Invited talk for the CropTech show (Peterborough, UK) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk on gene editing and what it might mean for UK farmers ad stakeholders |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Matthew Milner invited talk at the AgBio Gene Editing Conference in Rotterdam 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk on our successful implementation of gene editing in wheat. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Monogram - Nottingham 2019 - poster on CRWRT project |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Poster presentation to highlight the opportunities for UK plant scientists to have genes transformed into wheat and rice via the Community Resource for Wheat and Rice Transformation project |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Monogram meeting - JIC, Norwich, 24-26 April 2018, oral presentation "Gene editing in cereal crop species" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | requests for more information and future projects |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | New Phytologist next generation scientists 2019 (Allan Kouidri) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Poster to highlight wheat and rice transformation opportunities |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Short talk on gene editing for the Wheat Genetic Improvement Network (WGIN) Stakeholder meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A presentation on our gene editing projects in wheat for the annual Wheat Genetic Improvement Network (WGIN) Stakeholder virtual meeting. This lead onto a panel discussion on the topic 'Gene editing and innovative breeding opportunities for wheat'. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Talk - UK Rice Research Consortium meeting, February 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited short talk on Characterisation of Regulatory Elements in Wheat and Rice, by Dr Manisha Sharma |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | UK Rice Research Consortium Postdoc meeting, Sept 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Poster presented by Dr Manisha Sharma - A Community Resource for Wheat and Rice Transformation and Assessment of Regulatory Elements |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | University of Nottingham MSc student visit in Sept 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | General overview of crop transformation techniques used with a particular focus on specific wheat projects using transformation and gene editing. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Visit by Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International - May 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Presentation on the crop transformation at NIAB with particular focus on wheat transformation and gene editing projects |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Visit by DEFRA minister for GE & Climate change, Jo Churchill, June 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Participation in a visit to NIAB Crop Transformation Department, hosted by NIAB CEO Prof. Mario Caccamo, with demonstration and discussion on both GM and gene editing projects and with particular reference to the BBR-funded Community Resource for Wheat and Rice Transformation project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Visit by officials and scientists from India Dept of Biotechnology in April 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Talk on crop transformation activities at NIAB with a particular focus on wheat transformation and gene editing projects |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Visit from DEFRA Chief Scientist and team, March 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Participation in a visit to NIAB Crop Transformation Department, hosted by NIAB CEO Prof. Mario Caccamo, with demonstration and discussion on both GM and gene editing projects and with particular reference to the BBR-funded Community Resource for Wheat and Rice Transformation project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Visit from InnovateUK CEO, Dr Indro Muckerjee and team, May 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Participation in a visit to NIAB Crop Transformation Department, hosted by NIAB CEO Prof. Mario Caccamo, with demonstration and discussion on both GM and gene editing projects and with particular reference to the BBR-funded Community Resource for Wheat and Rice Transformation project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Visit from NFU exec team - December 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Participation in a visit to NIAB Crop Transformation Department, hosted by NIAB CEO Prof. Mario Caccamo, with demonstration and discussion on both GM and gene editing projects and with particular reference to the BBR-funded Community Resource for Wheat and Rice Transformation project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Visit of Dutch Embassy Agricultural Counsellor and team - July 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Participation in a visit to NIAB Crop Transformation Department, hosted by NIAB CEO Prof. Mario Caccamo, with demonstration and discussion on both GM and gene editing projects and with particular reference to the BBR-funded Community Resource for Wheat and Rice Transformation project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |