Advances in Plant Genomics and Genome Editing

A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737). This special issue belongs to the section "Genetics and Genomics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 572

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Interests: multiplex genome editing; multi-gene stacking; photosynthesis; leaf development; chloroplast development; crop genetics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plant genome editing has revolutionized the improvement of crop, offering precise and efficient ways to enhance yield, resistance to pathogens, and nutritional value. Recent advances have enhanced the efficiency of editing, reduced off-target effects, and expanded the range of editable targets. These developments are crucial for addressing global challenges such as food security, climate change adaptation, and sustainable agriculture. This Special Issue, entitled "Advances in Plant Genomics and Genome Editing," explores cutting-edge developments in genome engineering tools and their applications in plant science. It highlights innovative strategies for trait improvement and discusses the ability of these technologies to address global challenges in food security and sustainable agriculture. The collection aims to provide researchers and breeders with insights into the latest genome editing techniques and their implications for crop improvement, including an understanding of the biological processes involved.

This Special Issue aims to showcase cutting-edge research on plant genome editing, focusing on CRISPR/Cas systems and advanced genome editing tools. We seek contributions that explore gene knock-out, knock-in, base editing, and prime editing techniques, as well as multiplex genome editing strategies. The Special Issue will highlight innovative genome editing tools, gene expression regulation, and their applications in the improvement of plant traits. Our aim is to provide a comprehensive overview of current advances in plant genome engineering, stimulating discussions on methodological improvements, novel applications, and the potential impact on crop enhancement.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. We welcome studies that push the boundaries of precision, efficiency, and versatility in plant genome modification.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Xuean Cui
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • plant genomes
  • plant genomics
  • genome sequencing
  • plant genome engineering
  • CRISPR/Cas
  • gene knock-out
  • gene knock-in
  • base editor
  • prime editor
  • genome editing tools
  • multiplex genome editing
  • gene expression regulation
  • plant trait improvement

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

19 pages, 3726 KB  
Article
The Complete Mitochondrial Genome of Callicarpa americana L. Reveals the Structural Evolution and Size Differences in Lamiaceae
by Yang Wu, Jiayue Xu, Tenglong Hong, Jing He, Yuxiang Chen, Ye Zhang, Xinyu Hu, Huimin Sun, Li He and Dingkun Liu
Biology 2025, 14(12), 1747; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14121747 - 5 Dec 2025
Viewed by 146
Abstract
Callicarpa americana L. is a member of the Lamiaceae family with important ornamental and medicinal value. Although the chloroplast genome of Lamiaceae has been extensively studied, its mitochondrial genome remains unreported, limiting a comprehensive understanding of the phylogeny and genome evolution of Lamiaceae. [...] Read more.
Callicarpa americana L. is a member of the Lamiaceae family with important ornamental and medicinal value. Although the chloroplast genome of Lamiaceae has been extensively studied, its mitochondrial genome remains unreported, limiting a comprehensive understanding of the phylogeny and genome evolution of Lamiaceae. In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome of C. americana was successfully assembled for the first time. The genome is 499,565 bp in length, showing a complex multi-branched closed-loop structure that contains 37 protein-coding genes, 23 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes. The difference in mitochondrial genome size is relatively large compared to Orobanchaceae species, but the difference in GC content is not obvious. The expansion of genome size was mainly due to the accumulation of non-coding regions and repetitive sequences. Meanwhile, two pairs of long repetitive sequences (LR3 and LR5) mediated homologous recombination. The mitogenome was also identified; there were a total of 494 C-to-U RNA editing sites in protein-coding genes. In addition, 42 mitochondrial plastid DNA fragments (MTPTs) were detected, with a total length of 21,464 bp, accounting for 4.30% of the genome. Repeat sequence analysis showed that tetranucleotide SSR was the most abundant repeat type in the mitochondria of Lamiaceae. Phylogenetic analysis based on the alignment of 32 protein-coding gene sequences showed that Callicarpa is sister to the other eight species of Lamiaceae. This work fills an important gap by presenting the first complete mitochondrial genome of C. americana, providing an important data resource for further understanding the structural evolution, dynamic recombination mechanism, and phylogeny of the mitochondrial genome of Lamiaceae. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plant Genomics and Genome Editing)
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