Cibus’ RTDS™ Technology able to leverage directed nucleases to develop non-transgenic trait in flax

Plant Physiology has published a peer reviewed paper by Cibus scientists demonstrating that Cibus, using its patented RTDS™ (Rapid Trait Development System) technology with directed nucleases such as CRISPRs and TALENs, was able to develop a non-transgenic trait in flax. This trait, the first non-transgenic glyphosate resistance trait in a crop, was developed by precisely targeting mutations (“spelling changes”) in native gene targets. Cells with the targeted mutations were regenerated into whole plants using a completely non-transgenic process.
 
The paper showed that after Cibus made the targeted non-transgenic mutations, plants with Cibus’ targeted mutations were demonstrated to be glyphosate resistant. The article “Oligonucleotide-mediated genome editing provides precision and function to engineered nucleases and antibiotics in plants” is currently available as a Plant Physiology Preview at http://www.plantphysiol.org/content/early/2016/02/10/pp.15.01696.full.pdf+html.

“Over the past decade, Cibus has been making technological breakthroughs in precision gene editing, advanced molecular screening, advanced breeding and crop development technologies, positioning us perfectly to contribute to these conversations. The company will continue to share its latest technological developments with the plant science community through this report as well as at upcoming industry conferences,” said Greg Gocal, Senior Vice President, Research and Development, Cibus.