An international team of researchers has for the first time changed the color of garden strawberries from red to white using the CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology, reports infohub.kz.
The familiar red color of the berry is due to the accumulation of anthocyanin pigments, whose synthesis is controlled by multiple gene copies because of the plant's complex octoploid genome. Altering the color of such crops has always been a challenge for breeders, as completely disabling related genes could negatively affect fruit quality.
The authors of the study identified a dominant copy of the MYB10-1B gene responsible for pigment accumulation in the flesh during ripening. By introducing precise changes into this specific sequence in the commercial variety Florida Brilliance, the biologists obtained stable white-fleshed fruits. The seeds on the surface retained their natural red hue, and other fruit traits were unaffected.
The results demonstrate the possibility of precisely modifying complex polyploid crops without completely disabling all related gene copies. The developed approach will allow scientists and breeders to regulate not only color but also taste, nutritional value, and plant resistance to environmental stress in the future.