TILLING by Sequencing (TbyS) for targeted genome mutagenesis in crops

TILLING (Targeting Induced Local Lesions in Genomes) by Sequencing (TbyS) refers to the application of high-throughput sequencing technologies to mutagenised TILLING populations as a tool for functional genomics. TbyS can be used to identify and characterise induced variation in genes (controlling traits of interest) within large mutant populations, and is a powerful approach for the study and harnessing of genetic variation in crop breeding programmes. The extension of existing TILLING platforms by TbyS will accelerate crop functional genomics studies, in concert with the rapid increase in genome editing capabilities and the number and quality of sequenced crop plant genomes. In this mini-review, we provide an overview of the growth of TbyS and its potential applications to crop molecular breeding.