As announced by Makoto NISHIGUCHI of the laboratory’s Tree Molecular Geetics Research Division, genome editing procedures have been developed for Cryptomeria japonica, the Japanese coniferous cedar tree. In view of the rapid rise of cedar pollinosis in Japan – beliebed to be due to various proteins and enzymes in µm-size cedar pollen grains, it is now under discussion to develop Cryptomeria cedar trees with reduced allergenic potential using genome editing procedures.
Nikkei Biotech news release, December 8, 2017
MAFF’s Forestry Research Institute might develop non-allergenic cedar trees by genome editing