AUTHOR=Kababji Ahad Moussa , Butt Haroon , Mahfouz Magdy 

TITLE=Synthetic directed evolution for targeted engineering of plant traits

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=15

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2024.1449579

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2024.1449579

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p>Improving crop traits requires genetic diversity, which allows breeders to select advantageous alleles of key genes. In species or loci that lack sufficient genetic diversity, synthetic directed evolution (SDE) can supplement natural variation, thus expanding the possibilities for trait engineering. In this review, we explore recent advances and applications of SDE for crop improvement, highlighting potential targets (coding sequences and <italic>cis</italic>-regulatory elements) and computational tools to enhance crop resilience and performance across diverse environments. Recent advancements in SDE approaches have streamlined the generation of variants and the selection processes; by leveraging these advanced technologies and principles, we can minimize concerns about host fitness and unintended effects, thus opening promising avenues for effectively enhancing crop traits.</p>