ENGINEERING BETTER CANNABIS

Using CRISPR as a Tool to Develop Designer Cannabis

CRISPR Cas9 is an efficient and reliable genome editing technology which allows researchers to make precise, targeted changes to the genome of living cells by removing, adding or altering sections of an organism’s DNA sequence.

How does CRISPR work?

A small modified piece of RNA with a “guide” sequence binds to a specific target DNA sequence within a genome. The RNA also binds to the Cas9 enzyme. The modified RNA identifies the DNA sequence, and the attached Cas9 enzyme cuts the DNA at the targeted location. Once the DNA is cut, the cell’s DNA repair process can be used to add or delete pieces of DNA, or the replace the targeted piece of DNA with a customized DNA sequence.

Improving Cannabis with CRISPR

Cannabis breeding is focused on producing different cultivars, each developed to create a unique experience. Using CRISPR, the agritech industry is quickly and inexpensively engineering many agricultural crops. CRISPR can be used to create cannabis plants that produce higher yields, are resistant to drought and pests, or selectively express specific genes allowing growers to produce unique, higher value crops.

Designer Cannabis

• Improved yields
• Drought resistant
• Pest resistant
• Select for specific phenotypes

Confirmation of CRISPR

With the ability to multiplex up to 384 samples at a time and a simplified sample preparation protocol, targeted re-sequencing with NEXTFLEX® amplicon panels is ideal for screening a large number of cannabis plants for confirmation of on-target and off-target CRISPR gene editing experiments. With a completely automated workflow, the custom NEXTFLEX^® amplicon panels provide a simple and robust method for high-throughput targeted Cannabis re-sequencing applications.