Acetolactate synthase(ALS)-targeting herbicides are among the most widely used weed-control chemicals globally.Mutations in the ALS gene can confer herbicide resistance in crops,thereby allowing selective elimination ...Acetolactate synthase(ALS)-targeting herbicides are among the most widely used weed-control chemicals globally.Mutations in the ALS gene can confer herbicide resistance in crops,thereby allowing selective elimination of weeds without harming crops.Herbicide-resistant ALS alleles were initially discovered in weeds and subsequently developed through artificial mutagenesis techniques.With the advancement of CRISPR/Cas technologies,various genome-editing tools are now available to introduce these resistant alleles,as well as novel variants,into diverse crop species.Moreover,emerging methodologies,such as directed evolution,enable the generation and screening of large populations of random ALS mutants.Consequently,ALS has become one of the most extensively targeted genes in plant gene evolution.This paper provides a comprehensive overview of both conventional and recently developed strategies for ALS evolution,with particular emphasis on CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing and directed evolution.Future perspectives on technological application are also discussed.By advancing our understanding of herbicide-resistant ALS allele development for crop improvement,these methodologies may also pave the way for their application to the evolution of other agronomically important genes.展开更多
As we welcome the spring of 2026,we extend our sincere greetings and best wishes to colleagues worldwide in the field of crop science,our partners,and all those committed to sustainable agricultural development!The Ye...As we welcome the spring of 2026,we extend our sincere greetings and best wishes to colleagues worldwide in the field of crop science,our partners,and all those committed to sustainable agricultural development!The Year of the Horse symbolizes endeavor and far-reaching journeys,reflecting our own spirit of continuous exploration and breakthrough innovation on the path of crop science.Here,I extendmysincere appreciation to all our authors and reviewers for their invaluable time,expertise,and dedication,which are instrumental in the success of The Crop Journal,establishing it as a premier platform for the global crop science research community.The Crop Journal publishes its 2026 first issue as a special issue themed“Synthetic Biology for Crop Improvement”,ably vip-edited by four young scientists.The issue provides a comprehensive overview of major advances in the field.In the past few years,crop science has made long strides in metabolic engineering of important pathways in secondary metabolism.The achievements expedite the emergence of synthetic biology as a potent methodology for crop breeding and represent a fundamental paradigm shift from“deciphering crops”to“designing crops”,which is further empowered by artificial intelligence(AI).At this turning point of the New Year,I would like to take this opportunity to provide a brief retrospective and future perspective.展开更多
1.Introduction Crop breeding is transitioning to engineering by synthetic biology.Conventional breeding,constrained by limited genetic variation and lengthy development cycles,cannot meet the challenges of micronutrie...1.Introduction Crop breeding is transitioning to engineering by synthetic biology.Conventional breeding,constrained by limited genetic variation and lengthy development cycles,cannot meet the challenges of micronutrient malnutrition and yield reductions from climate change with sufficient speed or precision[1].Consequently,agriculture is transitioning from selection-based breeding to designbased engineering.Synthetic biology enables the precision modification of metabolic pathways and the construction of novel trait combinations[1,2].This special issue,Synthetic Biology for Crop Improvement,brings together 26 articles that showcase the field’s transition from laboratory curiosity to field-validated agricultural technology.The collection spans 13 plant species,from staple grains and major industrial crops to horticultural and medicinal plants,demonstrating the universal applicability of metabolic engineering.These studies reveal maturation toward field readiness:independent groups achieving reproducible results in identical pathways,greenhouse concepts advancing to multi-season field trials,and engineered traits delivering measurable agronomic value.This progression answers the central question in crop synthetic biology,shifting the paradigm from asking“can it work?”to demonstrating“how it works,and here are the yields”.This transformation is grounded in understanding and manipulating plant metabolism at molecular resolution[3].展开更多
CRISPR/Cas基因编辑技术正深刻变革作物育种范式,成为全球农业科技竞争的战略制高点。本研究基于2019—2023年Web of Science核心合集216篇论文,构建融合文献计量、社会网络分析、文本挖掘与实体识别的多维分析框架,运用“国家—技术实...CRISPR/Cas基因编辑技术正深刻变革作物育种范式,成为全球农业科技竞争的战略制高点。本研究基于2019—2023年Web of Science核心合集216篇论文,构建融合文献计量、社会网络分析、文本挖掘与实体识别的多维分析框架,运用“国家—技术实体”二分网络图和时序演化分析,揭示技术内部结构与创新特征。结果表明:该领域全球研究呈现持续增长趋势,中美形成“双核”引领但路径各异——美国在底层工具创新优势显著,中国在主粮作物应用成果突出;技术演化呈现“工具开发—方法优化—应用拓展”协同演进特征,从基础敲除向精准编辑、多基因调控方向发展。基于实证分析,本研究针对性地提出强化源头工具创新、优化研发布局、构建产业生态等策略,为中国在该前沿领域的战略规划提供决策支撑。展开更多
植物引导编辑技术(Plant Prime Editing,PPE)为植物基因组的精准改良提供了全新途径,克服了传统基因编辑方法中依赖双链断裂和外源供体DNA的局限性,不仅可以实现任意类型碱基替换,还可以进行小片段乃至大范围片段的精准插入和删除,并且...植物引导编辑技术(Plant Prime Editing,PPE)为植物基因组的精准改良提供了全新途径,克服了传统基因编辑方法中依赖双链断裂和外源供体DNA的局限性,不仅可以实现任意类型碱基替换,还可以进行小片段乃至大范围片段的精准插入和删除,并且脱靶率较低。本文详细阐述了PPE技术在国内外的最新研究进展,包括其发展历程与工作原理、在作物育种与性状改良中的应用,及PE技术在大规模基因组编辑和多重基因编辑等领域的拓展。针对PPE系统在植物遗传转化过程中遇到的瓶颈问题,提出了若干解决方案,并展望了PPE技术在植物遗传改良中的广泛应用前景及未来与人工智能(Artificial Intelligence,AI)相结合的研究方向。展开更多
基金Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation(2023B1515120050,2023A1515110529 and 2024A1515012454)Shenzhen Science and Technology Program(JCYJ20230807145759008 and KJZD20240903100206009).
文摘Acetolactate synthase(ALS)-targeting herbicides are among the most widely used weed-control chemicals globally.Mutations in the ALS gene can confer herbicide resistance in crops,thereby allowing selective elimination of weeds without harming crops.Herbicide-resistant ALS alleles were initially discovered in weeds and subsequently developed through artificial mutagenesis techniques.With the advancement of CRISPR/Cas technologies,various genome-editing tools are now available to introduce these resistant alleles,as well as novel variants,into diverse crop species.Moreover,emerging methodologies,such as directed evolution,enable the generation and screening of large populations of random ALS mutants.Consequently,ALS has become one of the most extensively targeted genes in plant gene evolution.This paper provides a comprehensive overview of both conventional and recently developed strategies for ALS evolution,with particular emphasis on CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing and directed evolution.Future perspectives on technological application are also discussed.By advancing our understanding of herbicide-resistant ALS allele development for crop improvement,these methodologies may also pave the way for their application to the evolution of other agronomically important genes.
文摘As we welcome the spring of 2026,we extend our sincere greetings and best wishes to colleagues worldwide in the field of crop science,our partners,and all those committed to sustainable agricultural development!The Year of the Horse symbolizes endeavor and far-reaching journeys,reflecting our own spirit of continuous exploration and breakthrough innovation on the path of crop science.Here,I extendmysincere appreciation to all our authors and reviewers for their invaluable time,expertise,and dedication,which are instrumental in the success of The Crop Journal,establishing it as a premier platform for the global crop science research community.The Crop Journal publishes its 2026 first issue as a special issue themed“Synthetic Biology for Crop Improvement”,ably vip-edited by four young scientists.The issue provides a comprehensive overview of major advances in the field.In the past few years,crop science has made long strides in metabolic engineering of important pathways in secondary metabolism.The achievements expedite the emergence of synthetic biology as a potent methodology for crop breeding and represent a fundamental paradigm shift from“deciphering crops”to“designing crops”,which is further empowered by artificial intelligence(AI).At this turning point of the New Year,I would like to take this opportunity to provide a brief retrospective and future perspective.
文摘1.Introduction Crop breeding is transitioning to engineering by synthetic biology.Conventional breeding,constrained by limited genetic variation and lengthy development cycles,cannot meet the challenges of micronutrient malnutrition and yield reductions from climate change with sufficient speed or precision[1].Consequently,agriculture is transitioning from selection-based breeding to designbased engineering.Synthetic biology enables the precision modification of metabolic pathways and the construction of novel trait combinations[1,2].This special issue,Synthetic Biology for Crop Improvement,brings together 26 articles that showcase the field’s transition from laboratory curiosity to field-validated agricultural technology.The collection spans 13 plant species,from staple grains and major industrial crops to horticultural and medicinal plants,demonstrating the universal applicability of metabolic engineering.These studies reveal maturation toward field readiness:independent groups achieving reproducible results in identical pathways,greenhouse concepts advancing to multi-season field trials,and engineered traits delivering measurable agronomic value.This progression answers the central question in crop synthetic biology,shifting the paradigm from asking“can it work?”to demonstrating“how it works,and here are the yields”.This transformation is grounded in understanding and manipulating plant metabolism at molecular resolution[3].
文摘CRISPR/Cas基因编辑技术正深刻变革作物育种范式,成为全球农业科技竞争的战略制高点。本研究基于2019—2023年Web of Science核心合集216篇论文,构建融合文献计量、社会网络分析、文本挖掘与实体识别的多维分析框架,运用“国家—技术实体”二分网络图和时序演化分析,揭示技术内部结构与创新特征。结果表明:该领域全球研究呈现持续增长趋势,中美形成“双核”引领但路径各异——美国在底层工具创新优势显著,中国在主粮作物应用成果突出;技术演化呈现“工具开发—方法优化—应用拓展”协同演进特征,从基础敲除向精准编辑、多基因调控方向发展。基于实证分析,本研究针对性地提出强化源头工具创新、优化研发布局、构建产业生态等策略,为中国在该前沿领域的战略规划提供决策支撑。
文摘植物引导编辑技术(Plant Prime Editing,PPE)为植物基因组的精准改良提供了全新途径,克服了传统基因编辑方法中依赖双链断裂和外源供体DNA的局限性,不仅可以实现任意类型碱基替换,还可以进行小片段乃至大范围片段的精准插入和删除,并且脱靶率较低。本文详细阐述了PPE技术在国内外的最新研究进展,包括其发展历程与工作原理、在作物育种与性状改良中的应用,及PE技术在大规模基因组编辑和多重基因编辑等领域的拓展。针对PPE系统在植物遗传转化过程中遇到的瓶颈问题,提出了若干解决方案,并展望了PPE技术在植物遗传改良中的广泛应用前景及未来与人工智能(Artificial Intelligence,AI)相结合的研究方向。
