Breeding for PVY resistance in tobacco LJ911 using CRISPR/Cas9 technology

Potato virus Y (PVY) is one of the main diseases of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). Recent studies indicated that the Va gene (Ntab0942120) determines the susceptibility of the crop to PVY, and that the Va gene product interacts with the PVY genome-linked protein (VPg) to initiate the PVY genome translation process, which ultimately leads to the systemic infection of tobacco by the virus. In this research, tobacco cultivar LJ911 was used as receptor material for gene editing. Gene Va was knocked out through CRISPR/Cas9 technology, and transgene-free homozygous edited plants in the T1 generation were established. Pathology tests indicated that the edited plants had gained PVY resistance. Therefore, the edited materials generated in this study represent potentially useful genetic resources for breeding of PVYresistant tobacco.