Talking Biotech with Dr. Kevin Folta Old Tricks, New Wheat for Celiacs - Maria Rottersman
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Jul 12, 2025 Maria Rottersman, a Ph.D. candidate at UC Davis, is pioneering research to create wheat with reduced gluten content for celiac disease sufferers. She explores the complex nature of wheat's genetics and the implications of rising gluten sensitivities. The conversation dives into traditional and modern methods, including radiation-induced mutations and CRISPR, aimed at developing immunogenicity-safe wheat. Rottersman also emphasizes the importance of maintaining bread quality while meeting the needs of gluten-intolerant individuals, showcasing her commitment to impactful science communication.
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Challenges in Gene Editing Wheat Gluten
- CRISPR editing is challenging for gluten genes due to their high copy number and clustering.
- Conventional mutagenesis and breeding currently offer more efficient large deletions.
Using Radiation to Delete Gluten Genes
- Maria's lab used gamma radiation to induce large deletions knocking out clusters of gluten genes.
- This old-school method proved effective in reducing immunogenic proteins in wheat.
Hexaploid Wheat Enables Selective Gene Deletions
- Wheat's hexaploid genome allows tolerance for gene loss due to redundancy in gluten genes.
- Deleting certain loci in specific subgenomes can reduce celiac triggers and improve bread quality.