The expert disclosed this during the Young African Scientists Leading the Way in Genome Editing in Agricultural Biotechnology, which is part of the African Union Development Agency’s (AUDA-NEPAD) Webinar Series Two workshop held on July 25, 2024.
By Teresia Nzau
A leading expert in Genome Editing Strategy, Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR associated-protein9 (Cas9), Dr. Benjamin Karikari has shared one of his research works on CRISPR/Cas9.
Dr. Karikari, who is an African and a native of Ghana, and currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Laval, Canada has noted that the advent of CRISPR/Cas9 technology has revolutionized the field of genetic engineering, offering precise, efficient, and cost-effective means to edit genomes.
The expert disclosed this during the Young African Scientists Leading the Way in Genome Editing in Agricultural Biotechnology, which is part of the African Union Development Agency’s (AUDA-NEPAD) Webinar Series Two workshop held on July 25, 2024. The technology holds immense potential for addressing critical agricultural challenges, particularly in improving crop resilience and nutrient use efficiency.
In his presentation to some 200 participants across Africa and the world during the workshop, Dr Karikari gave practical evidence on the application of CRISPR/Cas9 in enhancing phosphorus (P) efficiency and root system architecture (RSA) in soybean cultivars, aiming to bolster climate resilience in agriculture, and demonstrated the potential for Africa.
An illustration of genome editing. /THE CONVERSATION
“P is a vital nutrient for plant growth and development, playing a key role in energy transfer, photosynthesis, and signal transduction. However, P availability in soils is often limited due to its fixation in insoluble forms, making it inaccessible to plants. Enhancing P use efficiency (PUE) in crops is crucial for sustainable agriculture, reducing dependency on P fertilizers, which are both economically and environmentally costly”, he noted.
Dr. Karikari pointed out that RSA is another critical factor influencing a plant’s ability to acquire water and nutrients, particularly under drought-related stress conditions. Improved RSA, he said, can enhance a plant’s resilience to climate variability, ensuring stable yields even under adverse conditions.
Dr. Karikari shared one of his groundbreaking research on the genome-wide characterization of Phospholipases A (PLAs) in soybean (GmPLAs) and the subsequent application of CRISPR/Cas9 technology to study their role in abiotic stress response marks a significant advancement in the field of crop improvement. This work is particularly relevant for addressing agricultural challenges in Africa and globally, especially in the context of climate change and nutrient deficiency.
Firstly, Dr. Karikari identified 112 GmPLAs in the soybean genome, including 78 PLA1, 29 patatin-like PLAs, and 5 secretory sPLA2, providing a crucial foundation for understanding the genetic basis of stress response in soybeans. This comprehensive characterization is essential for targeted genetic improvements.
Secondly, Dr. Karikari how successful he was in knocking out two paralog genes, GmpPLA-IIε & GmpPLA-IIζ, using CRISPR/Cas9 technology demonstrates the precision and effectiveness of this tool in soybean genetic modification.
This approach opens new avenues for creating stress-tolerant soybean varieties. He demonstrated that some of the mutant lines exhibited superior performance under flooding and drought conditions which is particularly significant.
This finding has direct implications for developing climate-resilient soybean cultivars, which is crucial for regions experiencing increased climate variability.
The altered root response to P-deficient environments in knockout lines is a key discovery. This could lead to the development of soybean varieties with improved PUE, addressing a major constraint in many African soils where P availability is limited.
Another valuable finding is the improved performance of mutants under iron (Fe)-deficient conditions compared to the wild type. Fe deficiency is a common problem in many agricultural soils, and this discovery could contribute to developing varieties better suited to such conditions.
Dr Karikari also related how the above-elaborated research work is relevant to African and Global Agriculture as follows:
- Addressing Nutrient Deficiencies: His work on P and Fe efficiency is particularly relevant for African agriculture, where soil nutrient deficiencies are widespread. Developing soybean varieties that can thrive in nutrient-poor soils could significantly boost productivity in these regions.
- Climate Resilience: The enhanced tolerance to flooding and drought observed in some mutant lines is crucial for developing climate-resilient varieties. This is especially important in Africa, where climate change is expected to increase the frequency and severity of extreme weather events.
- Sustainable Agriculture: By improving nutrient use efficiency and stress tolerance, his research contributes to more sustainable agricultural practices, reducing the need for chemical inputs and enhancing crop resilience.
- Food and Nutrition Security: The potential for developing high-yielding, stress-tolerant soybean varieties has significant implications for food and nutrition security, both in Africa and globally.
- Economic Impact: Improved soybean varieties could enhance the economic prospects of smallholder farmers by increasing yields and reducing crop losses due to environmental stresses.
In conclusion, Dr. Karikari’s research represents a significant step forward in leveraging CRISPR/Cas9 technology for crop improvement. By combining comprehensive genomic analysis with precise gene editing techniques, he has not only advanced our understanding of stress response mechanisms in soybeans but also paved the way for developing more resilient and efficient soybean cultivars.
A biker riding through tea plantations in a tea-growing area. /FOTOGRAPHY
This work has far-reaching implications for improving agricultural productivity and sustainability, particularly in challenging environments such as those found in many parts of Africa and other regions facing similar agricultural constraints.
In his concluding remarks, Dr. Karikari announced his availability for both consultation and collaboration with African researchers in the area of CRISPR/Cas9 technology. He further indicated his willingness to collaborate with other scientists in drafting proposals for grants to initiate and promote this CRISPR/Cas9 technology in Africa.