BEEP

BEEP (CRISPR-Cas9 Based Epigenome Editing in Plants)

Inactivation of nuclease defective Cas9 (dCas9) can be fused to catalytic domains of proteins that are involved in setting and maintaining epigenetic states in human cell lines. Using this method, chromatin marks at selected loci in the genome can be modified.

The aim of this project is to apply this technology in apple in order to attract DNA methylation to specific sites in the genome thus opening the doors to plant epigenome editing. In this project, we propose to target this construct to the TFL1promoter in apple. The resulting plants should then display increased DNA methylation levels at the TFL1 promoter, thus resulting in its down-regulation and an early flowering phenotype.