Pil Joong Chung

Dr. Pil Joong Chung

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Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

12Years (2015-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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1 December 2015 in Plant Science
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
DLDong-Keun Lee
Dong-Keun Lee
HKHyung Il Kim
Hyung Il Kim
GJGeupil Jang
Geupil Jang
PCPil Joong Chung
Pil Joong Chung
JJJin Seo Jeong
Jin Seo Jeong
JKJu-Kon Kim
Ju-Kon Kim

Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
PCPil Joong Chung
Pil Joong Chung
HCHoyong Chung
Hoyong Chung
NONuri Oh
Nuri Oh
JCJoohee Choi
Joohee Choi
SBSeung Woon Bang
Seung Woon Bang
JKJu-Kon Kim
Ju-Kon Kim
Drought is one of the major environmental stresses adversely affecting crop productivity worldwide. Precise characterization of genes involved in drought response is necessary to develop new crop varieties with enhanced drought tolerance. Previously, we identified 66 drought-induced miRNAs in rice plants. For the further functional investigation of the miRNAs, we applied recombinant codon-optimized Cas9 (rCas9) for rice with single-guide RNAs specifically targeting mature miRNA sequences or sites required for the biogenesis of mature miRNA. A total of 458 T0 transgenic plants were analyzed to determine the frequency and type of mutations induced by CRISPR/rCas9 on 13 independent target miRNAs. The average mutation frequency for 13 genes targeted by single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) in T0 generation was 59.4%, including mono-allelic (8.54%), bi-allelic (11.1%), and hetero-allelic combination (39.7%) mutations. The mutation frequency showed a positive correlation with Tm temperature of sgRNAs. For base insertion, one base insertion (99%) was predominantly detected in transgenic plants. Similarly, one base deletion accounted for the highest percentage, but there was also a significant percentage of cases in which more than one base was deleted. The deletion of more than two bases in OsmiR171f and OsmiR818b significantly reduced the level of corresponding mature miRNAs. Further functional analysis using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis confirmed that OsmiR818b is involved in drought response in rice plants. Overall, this study suggests that the CRISPR/rCas9 system is a powerful tool for loss-of-function analysis of miRNA in rice.