Cell-based CRISPRa screen identifies a papillae-specific receptor kinase mediating broad-spectrum fungal resistance in rice.

A protoplast-based CRISPRa screen in rice identified OsTV1, a papillae-specific receptor kinase, as a positive regulator of broad-spectrum fungal resistance.

• Why it matters: Understanding gene functions that enhance fungal resistance is crucial for developing durable disease-resistant crops. Current methods lack high-throughput approaches to identify such regulators in rice.
• What they did: Researchers developed a dCas9-TV-mediated CRISPR activation screen in rice protoplasts and identified OsTV1 through gain-of-function screening, focusing on cellular processes related to defense.
• The result: Overexpression of OsTV1 increased silicon deposition, leaf rigidity, and basal defense gene expression, providing broad-spectrum fungal resistance without affecting growth, and demonstrating the method's utility for plant functional studies.