The RUBY reporter for visual selection in soybean genome editing

Area of Science:

• Plant Biotechnology
• Molecular Biology
• Crop Science

Background:

• Current methods for screening transgenic soybeans are time-consuming and require specialized equipment.
• Visual markers are needed for efficient early screening of genetically modified soybean plants.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the RUBY reporter system for visual screening of transgenic soybean events.
• To assess the utility of RUBY for identifying genome-edited, transgene-free soybean seedlings.

Main Methods:

• The RUBY reporter system, encoding betalain biosynthetic enzymes, was introduced into soybean plants.
• Visual assessment of purple pigment accumulation was used to confirm transformation.
• Genetic stability of the transgene was analyzed across generations using cotyledons.

Main Results:

• The RUBY reporter system successfully enabled visual confirmation of transgenic soybean events.
• Visible purple pigment accumulation accurately indicated successful transformation.
• Transgene-free seedlings were easily distinguished by their green color, facilitating selection.

Conclusions:

• The RUBY reporter system provides an efficient and convenient visual tool for soybean transformation and genome editing.
• This system accelerates the selection of desirable soybean lines, including transgene-free mutants.