OPTIMISING COCOA PROTOPLAST ISOLATION FOR EFFICIENT GENOME EDITING
Authors: Norasekin, T.1*, Monaliza, M. D.1, Lea, J.1, Ishak, Z.2 and Mohd Zulhilmi, A. R.1
Journal Issue: Malaysian Cocoa Journal, Volume 16/2024
Keywords: Plant protoplast, biotechnology, genome editing, cocoa, highly viable, isolation
Published On: 1/10/2024
Abstract
Protoplasts are incredibly useful in plant biotechnology due to their versatility. They have a wide range of applications, from fundamental biological research to the strategic development of breeding techniques that involve genome editing. Establishing an efficient protoplast isolation protocol is paramount in scientific endeavours involving protoplasts. This study has developed and optimised several potential methods to isolate the highly viable protoplast from diverse cocoa explants. Notably, young leaves sourced from mature cocoa trees exhibited the most favourable outcomes, yielding a substantial protoplast yield of 89.87 % and a viable protoplast density of 10.65 x 107. The optimised isolation method provides valuable insights into developing an effective cocoa protoplast isolation protocol crucial for genome editing applications. Furthermore, these findings offer a tailored approach for cocoa researchers, emphasising the imperative nature of customised protocols to harness the full potential of protoplast-based genetic engineering in cocoa plants.