Targeted modification of regulatory genes associated with barley grain color formation

Egorova A.; Strygina K.; Shoeva O.; Hertig C.; Gerasimova S.; Koeppel I.; Hiekel S.; Vikhorev A.; Kumlehn J.; Khlestkina E.

Institute of Cytology and Genetics, SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia; NSU, Novosibirsk, Russia; IPK, Gatersleben, Germany ; VIR, St.Petersburg, Russia

Blue and purple colors of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) grain are caused by anthocyanin accumulation in aleurone and pericarp, respectively. Anthocyanins are known for their human health benefits. It is thus desirable to breed and grow barley with colored grains. In our previous experiments, the bHLH transcription factors Myc2 and Ant2 have been shown to be implicated in the control of barley grain pigmentation. In the present investigation, the MYC2 and ANT2 genes of barley were subjected to Cas9/gRNA-mediated site-directed mutagenesis aiming to further elucidate the roles of these genes in grain color formation.