Epigenome editing refers to the process of altering the expression of genes in organisms via the modification of epigenetic marks in DNA, while not affecting its sequence. Plants are faced with many different adverse factors in their environment like drought, salinity, high and low temperatures, as well as biotic stresses from the likes of pathogens and pests. This usually leads to decreased yields from agriculture. Epigenome editing techniques use biological systems like zinc fingers, TALENs, and CRISPR/Cas9 in order to edit the locus of certain genes and change their state. They do so using DNA methylation and demethylation, histone modifications and chromatin remodeling. The use of this technique can be useful for developing stress-resistant plants, and thus boost yields and help develop more climate-resistant agriculture. Examples of stressors include drought, salinity, heat, cold, floods, disease and pest resistance. Nevertheless, there are some difficulties in this field: off-target effects, effective delivery methods, complexity, regulations and heritability of epigenetic changes.
Epigenome editing, CRISPR/dCas9, Stress tolerance, Abiotic stress, Biotic stress, Gene expression, DNA methylation, Histone modification, Climate-resilient crops, Sustainable agriculture
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