Abstract
Transcription activator-like (TAL) effectors are proteins produced by plant pathogens of the genus Xanthomonas. They are delivered to plant cells during infection and bind to specifi c plant gene promoters to activate transcription and promote bacterial infection. DNA binding by TAL effectors is mediated by an array of typically 14–24 repeats; each repeat is 34 amino acids in length and folds into a hairpin-like structure that contacts a single base in the target DNA. The TAL effector DNA-binding motif has proven highly modular, and custom TAL effector arrays can be made to recognize virtually any site in a plant genome, thereby providing a valuable reagent for genome manipulation. In particular, when TAL effector arrays are fused to a nuclease, they can create targeted double-strand breaks at a locus of interest. The repair of the breaks can be directed to achieve a variety of targeted genome modifi cations, with applications ranging from understanding plant gene function to creating novel traits in agronomically important crop species.
Original language | English (US) |
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Title of host publication | Advances in New Technology for Targeted Modification of Plant Genomes |
Publisher | Springer New York |
Pages | 55-72 |
Number of pages | 18 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9781493925568 |
ISBN (Print) | 9781493925551 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 1 2015 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2015.
Keywords
- DNA-binding proteins
- Equence-specific nucleases
- Nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ)
- TALEN
- Transcription activator-like effector nucleases