A detached leaf assay for testing transient gene expression and gene editing in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata[L.] Walp.)

Background The legume cowpea (Vigna unguiculataL.) is extensively grown in sub-Saharan Africa. Cowpea, like many legumes has proved recalcitrant to plant transformation. A rapid transient leaf assay was developed for testing gene expression and editing constructs prior to stable cowpea transformation, to accelerate cowpea and legume crop improvement. Results Attempts to develop a transient protoplast system for cowpea were unsuccessful. Leaflets from plants 3-4 weeks post-germination were age selected to establish a rapidAgrobacterium(Agro) infiltration-mediated transient system for efficacy testing of gene expression and CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing constructs. In planta, Agro-infiltration of leaflets with fluorescent expression constructs, resulted in necrosis. By contrast, Agro-infiltration of detached leaflets with anArabidopsis(At)ubiquitin3promoter:ZsGreenconstruct, followed by culture on solid nutrient medium resulted in fluorescence in over 48% of leaf cells. Expression efficiency was leaf age-dependent. Three cowpea meiosis genes were identified for CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing, with the forward aim of meiosis-knock out for asexual seed induction in cowpea. Constructs were designed and tested containing candidate gene-specific guide RNAs, expressed using either the cowpea orArabidopsis U6promoters withCas9expression directed by either theArabidopsis40S ribosomal protein or parsleyubiquitin4-2promoters. Leaflets were infiltrated with test gene-editing constructs and analytical methods developed to identify gene-specific mutations. A construct that produced mutations predicted to induce functional knockout of in theVuSPO11-1meiosis gene was tested for efficacy in primary transgenic cowpea plants using a previously established stable transformation protocol.Vuspo11-1mutants were identified, that cytologically phenocopiedspo11-1mutants previously characterized inArabidopsis,and rice. Importantly, a biallelic male and female sterile mutant was identified in primary transgenics, exhibiting the expected defects in 100% of examined male and female meiocytes. Conclusion The transient, detached cowpea leaf assay, and supporting analytical methods developed, provide a rapid and reproducible means for testing gene expression constructs, and constructs for inducing mutagenesis in genes involved in both vegetative and reproductive developmental programs. The method and tested editing constructs and components have potential application for a range of crop legumes.