At the post-transcriptional level, the splicing of the pre-mRNA plays a vital role in cell fate determination and respond to biotic and abiotic stresses. Through alternative splicing, mRNAs variants can be produced from a single gene. SF3B is a heptameric protein complex that is essential for pre-mRNA splicing. It contains seven subunits: SF3b155, SF3b130, SF3b145, SF3b49, SF3b14b, P14/SF3b14a and SF3b10 and they play an important role in BS (branch point sequence) recognition. P14/SF3b14a interacts with the branch point Adenosine (BPA), directing the binding of U2 complex. Several studies performed on the mutations of SF3b complex as it is associated with many diseases. Further studies are needed to deeply analyze the molecular function of P14/SF3b14a in plant growth and development. CRISPR/Cas9 system employed in gene editing among eukaryotes. The capability of the system is not only limited to the scope of bioengineering but also for functional studies of genes. CRISPR/Cas9 system assists in revealing the function of genes and the genetic networks through establishing a functional knockout and can help in understanding the molecular basis behind these processes. Here, we report the successful targeted mutagenesis of SF3b14a/p14 gene in Oryza sativa and the recovery of homozygous and heterozygous mutants. Phenotypic analyses have shown that SF3b14a/p14 is hypersensitive to abiotic stresses compared to the wild type plants. Further physiological and molecular studies are needed to reveal the role of p14 during plant growth and development, and responses to abiotic stresses.
Date of Award | Nov 2019 |
---|
Original language | English (US) |
---|
Awarding Institution | - Biological, Environmental Sciences and Engineering
|
---|
Supervisor | Magdy Mahfouz (Supervisor) |
---|
- Splicing
- Alternative Splicing
- CRISPR/Cas9
- SF3B
- SF3B14a
- Genome Engineering