Genome editing (GE) technology has emerged as a multifaceted strategy that instantaneously popularised the mechanism to modify the genetic constitution of an organism. The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated (Cas) protein-based genome editing (CRISPR/Cas) approach has huge potential for efficacious editing of genomes of numerous organisms. This framework has demonstrated to be more economical in contrast to mega-nucleases, zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), and transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) for its flexibility, versatility, and potency. The advent of sequence-specific nucleases (SSNs) allowed the precise induction of double-strand breaks (DSBs) into the genome, ensuring desired alterations through non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) or homology-directed repair (HDR) pathways. Researchers have utilized CRISPR/Cas-mediated genome alterations across crop varieties to generate desirable characteristics for yield enhancement, enriched nutritional quality, and stressresistance. Here, we highlighted the recent progress in the area of nutritional improvement of crops via the CRISPR/Cas-based tools for fundamental plant research and crop genetic advancements. Application of this genome editing aids in unraveling the basic biology facts in plants supplemented by the incorporation of genome-wide association studies, artificial intelligence, and various bioinformatic frameworks, thereby providing futuristic model studies and their affirmations. Strategies for reducing the 'off-target' effects and the societal approval of genome-modified crops developed via this modern biotechnological approach have been reviewed.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the third most common cancer among men in India, and no next-generation sequencing (NGS) studies have been attempted earlier. Recent advances in NGS have heralded the discovery of biomarkers from Caucasian/European and Chinese ancestry, but not much is known about the Indian phenotype/variant of PCa. In a pilot study using the whole exome sequencing of benign/PCa patients, we identified characteristic mutations specific to the Indian sub-population. We observed a large number of mutations in DNA repair genes, viz. helicases, TP53, and BRCA besides the variants of unknown significance with a possibly damaging rare variant (rs730881069/chr19:55154172C/TR136Q) in the TNNI3 gene that has been previously reported as a semi-conservative amino acid substitution. Our pilot study attempts to bring an understanding of PCa prognosis and recurrence for the Indian phenotype.

Rice bean is a less-known underutilized legume crop with a high nutritional value among members of the Vigna family. As an initiative to compose rice bean (Vigna umbellata) genomic resource, the size of 414 mega-base pairs with an estimated identification of 31,276 high confidence index genes via 15,521 scaffolds generated from Illumina and PacBio platform 30X coverage data has achieved 96.08% functional coverage data from Illumina and PacBio platform. Rice bean genome assembly was found to be exquisitely close to Vigna angularis (experimental control/outgroup), Vigna radiata, and Vigna unguiculata, however, Vigna angularis being the closest. The assembled genome was further aligned with 31 leguminous plants (13 complete genomes and 18 partial genomes), by collinearity block mapping. Further, we predicted similar discriminant results by complete coding sequence (CDS) alignment. In contrast, 17 medically influential genomes from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences-National Institutes of Health NIGMS-NIH, when compared to rice bean assembly for LCB clusters, led to the identification of more than 18,000 genes from the entire selected medicinal genomes. Empirical construction of all genome comparisons revealed symplesiomorphic character in turn uncovering the lineage of genetic and functional features of rice beans. Significantly, we found deserving late-flowering genes, palatably indexed uncommon genes that regulate various metabolite pathways, related to abiotic and biotic stress pathways and those that are specific to photoperiod and disease resistance and so on. Therefore, the findings from this report address the genomic value of rice bean to be escalated via breeding by allied and applied approaches.

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Rice bean is a less well known and underutilized legume crop that has proved to be highly favourable due to its rich nutritional value in comparison with other members of the Vigna family. As an initiative to compose rice bean (Vigna umbellata) genomic resource, the size of 414 mega-base pairs with an estimate of 31276 highly confidential genes from 15521 scaffolds and functional coverage of 96.08% was sequenced from 30X coverage data from Illumina and PacBio platform. Rice bean genome assembly was found to be exquisitely close to V. angularis (experimental control/outgroup), V. radiata and V. unguiculata, however, V. angularis being the closest. Heuristically, the assembled genome was further aligned with 31 leguminous plants (13 complete genomes and 18 partial genomes), by collinearity block mapping. Further, we predicted similar discriminant results by complete CDS alignment. In contrast, 17 medically influential genomes from NIGMS-NIH, when compared with rice bean assembly for LCB clusters led to identification of more than 18000 genes from the entire selected medicinal genomes. Empirical construction of all genome comparisons revealed symplesiomorphic character in turn uncovering the lineage of genetic and functional features of rice beans. Signifiacantly, we found deserving late-flowering genes, palatablyindexed uncommon genes that regulate various metabolite pathways, related to abiotic and biotic stress pathways and those that are specific to photoperiod and disease resistance and so on. Further, we developed a repository for underutilised crop genome facility using D3.js at www.nicg.in. Therefore, the findings from this report addresses the genomic value of rice bean to be escalated via breeding by allied and applied approaches.Research), IBPR (International Board for Plant Genetic Resources) and ICUC (International Centre for Underutilized Crops) organisations, form a network called FOSRIN (Food Security through Ricebean Research in India and Nepal), wherein Rice bean has been labeled as one of the future crops foreseen for domestication by farmers in marginal lands (Venkatesha 2012).Despite the nutritional excellence of rice bean, the prevailing lack of awareness of its complete nutritional benefits means that rice bean can be categorized as an underutilized crop. Rice bean can become established and grow in various soil types. It is pest resistant and presents tremendous potential as a nutritious fodder and high-quality grain. The major drawbacks of this pulse crop of the kharif season include late flowering, indeterminate nature and tastelessness. Furthermore, there are meagre possibilities for the improvement of rice bean due to its predominant landraces, nominal modern plant breeding and limited seed supply. Consequently, the high diversity retained within its limited geographical distribution and the existence of few marketing channels mean that there is a great scope for the genetic improvement of rice bean. Despite the importance of rice bean as a multipurpose legume utilized for culinary purpos...