Application of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing for the development of herbicide-resistant plants

Herbicide resistance is one of the most important traits for plant biotechnology, which is widely used to improve agricultural efficiency by controlling weeds and also used as a selectable marker during genetic engineering by the transformation. For these reasons, new technologies for conferring herbicide resistance to plants are continuously developing, in which CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing methods enable precise modifications of DNA sequences and offer a great promise for the improvement of crops. Here, we review recent advances in developing herbicide-resistant plants by the CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing technology, targeting on endogenous genes such as acetolactate synthase (ALS), 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS), cellulose synthase A catalytic subunit 3 (CESA3), and splicing factor 3B subunit 1 (SF3B1). In addition, we also introduce possible candidate genes to develop herbicide-resistant plants by generating loss-of-function mutations using the CRISPR/Cas9 system.