Genome editing methodologies are promising for trait enhancement in crop species. However, each species faces unique challenges to adopting these methods. The goal of this project is to develop enabling technologies for soybean genome editing that will optimize the development of new traits and make these tools more accessible to a wider range of soybean researchers.

Report efficient protoplast transformation from mesophyll and immature seeds with at least 30% efficiency by September 2019.

Report protoplast regeneration process in at least 1 elite-line cultivar by September 2021.

Report a new method with improved HDR frequency by September 2021.

Report DNA methylation editing frequency across editing enzymes by September 2020.

Report the development of DNA methylation editing events in at the chosen gene target by September 2021.

Updated September 11, 2019:

Updated January 12, 2021:
This project aims to develop tools for more efficient gene editing in soybean, and to make these tools accessible to the soybean research community. We are exploring editing in soybean protoplasts and somatic tissues, using novel approaches to efficiently regenerate whole plants from these cell and tissue types. While most of our efforts are focused on generating mutations that eliminate gene function(s), we are also exploring base editors to enable single DNA base changes for modified gene functions.

Updated December 2, 2021:
This project aims to develop tools for more efficient and precise gene editing in soybean, and to make these tools accessible to the soybean research community. We are exploring editing in soybean protoplasts and somatic tissues, using novel approaches to efficiently regenerate whole plants from these cell and tissue types. While most of our efforts are focused on generating mutations that eliminate gene function(s), we are also exploring base editors and epigenome editing to enable single DNA base and epigenetic changes for modified gene functions. This project contributed to one patent: Inventors Feng Zhang, Robert M Stupar, Daniel F Voytas, Gunvant Patil (Publication date 2021/2/18) Methods for genetic transformation and genome modification in legumes (Application number 16913478) (https://patents.google.com/patent/US20210047652A1/en).

New technology and traits will be able to advance more rapidly and efficiently.