EXZACT TM Precision Technology: Engineering Plant Genomes with ZFNs

New breeding approaches focused on targeted genome editing are being developed to accommodate an increasing demand for complex multi-trait products in the agricultural industry. The EXZACT^TM Precision Technology is a Dow AgroSciences' proprietary technology that facilitates precise changes in plant genomes including point mutations, DNA deletions and targeted gene additions. The technology, based on Zinc Finger Nucleases (ZFNs), is being developed for precision transformation and gene stacking for production of multi-gene trait products in several crops; an operable gene stacking platform for corn using designed eZFNs and EXZACT^TM Landing Pads (ELPs) will be described.   In addition, targeting to a safe harbor location (E32) in the corn genome and rapid  targeting methods to interrogate ZFN functionality in planta will also be presented.