Low‐gluten, nontransgenic wheat engineered with CRISPR/Cas9

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disorder triggered in genetically predisposed individuals by the ingestion of gluten proteins from wheat, barley and rye. The α-gliadin gene family of wheat contains four highly stimulatory peptides, of which the 33-mer is the main immunodominant peptide in patients with coeliac. We designed two sgRNAs to target a conserved region adjacent to the coding sequence for the 33-mer in the α-gliadin genes. Twenty-one mutant lines were generated, all showing strong reduction in α-gliadins. Up to 35 different genes were mutated in one of the lines of the 45 different genes identified in the wild type, while immunoreactivity was reduced by 85%. Transgene-free lines were identified, and…

• MD
  Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad

  Awards: AGL2016-80566-P, Projects AGL2013-48946-C3-1-R, AGL2016‐80566‐P, AGL2013‐48946‐C3‐1‐R, AGL2013-48946-C3-1-R
• ER
  European Regional Development Fund

  Award: AGL2016