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, that confers broad-spectrum fungal resistance with increased silicon deposition.

• Why it matters: Fungal infections threaten rice yields, and understanding genetic resistance mechanisms is crucial for sustainable crop protection. Existing methods lack high-throughput approaches to uncover gene functions related to plant immunity.
• What they did: Researchers developed a dCas9-TV-mediated CRISPR activation system in rice protoplasts and performed a gain-of-function screen, targeting numerous genes to identify regulators of fungal resistance.
• The result: Overexpression of OsTV1 boosted silicon accumulation, leaf strength, and defense gene activity, providing effective resistance without affecting plant growth, and offering new avenues for crop improvement.