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Efficient CRISPR/Cas-SF01 genome editing tools with high editing efficiency in allotetraploid oilseed rape.

CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats)-Cas9 has been widely utilized for plant genome editing, but the protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) requirement limits its editing scope. CRISPR/Cas12i3 belongs to the type-VI Cas system that has gained extensive attention due to its smaller size and less restricted canonical TTN PAM sequence. In this study, we explored the newly developed Cas-SF01 system (Cas12i3 variant) for genome editing in oilseed rape. We established an efficient protoplast transformation system in oilseed rape to compare editing efficiency between Cas-SF01 and Cas9. Cas-SF01 shows cleavage activities at the tested 5'-TTN-3' PAM sites with editing outcomes sharing considerable similarities with the CRISPR-Cas9 system in protoplast. Cas-SF01 also induces high efficiency mutagenesis for multiple target sites in stable transformed oilseed rape lines, generating mutants with multilocular silique and male sterile phenotypes. Furthermore, Cas-SF01-derived cytosine base editors (CBEs) were developed to produce targeted C-to-T base edits. Compared to SpCas9, Cas-SF01 has an expanded PAM range and effectively recognizes TTN PAMs, which has substantially broadened the scope of editable sites within the rapeseed genome. No mutations were identified at the putative off-target sites among the edited plants. This study developed a robust, first-of-its-kind Cas12 system in the allotetraploid Brassica napus, expanding the scope of editing and enriching genome-editing toolkits for biological research and genetic improvement.

Brassica napus

Genome Editing for Glycogen Storage Diseases.

Gene therapy has been developed for several glycogen storage diseases and has advanced into clinical trials. However, the limitations of these gene therapies with regard to stability following treatment early in life have led to the development of genome editing. Early results for genome editing in both glycogen storage disease type Ia and Pompe disease have demonstrated promising efficacy, and proof-of-concept studies as well as a clinical trial are underway. These studies will determine whether genome editing fulfills its promise with regard to stably treating glycogen storage diseases early in life.

Humans

Fast Fission Yeast Genome Editing by CRISPR/Cas9 Using Gap Repair and Fluoride Selection.

We present a protocol to perform CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe that does not require cloning and uses the fluoride exporter channel Fex1 as the selection marker. Transformation is typically carried out on the same day of PCR primer arrival and successfully edited strains are selected 5 days after transformation. We expect the adoption of this protocol to further accelerate the throughput of genome editing in S. pombe.

Schizosaccharomyces

Turnip Mosaic Virus-Based gRNA Delivery System for Plant Genome Editing.

Plant virus-based gRNA delivery systems offer a rapid alternative to stable transformation for CRISPR-mediated genome editing, but potyvirus-based platforms in Cas9-expressing plants are still underexplored. Here, we developed a turnip mosaic virus (TuMV)-based system for gRNA delivery in Cas9-expressing Nicotiana benthamiana and tested whether Csy4-mediated gRNA processing could improve editing efficiency. A TuMV construct carrying a gRNA targeting PHYTOENE DESATURASE (NbPDS) induced detectable editing in both infiltrated and systemic tissues, although editing frequencies were low. Incorporation of the bacterial endoribonuclease Csy4 increased editing efficiencies in the two NbPDS genes, raising editing in infiltrated leaves to 7.1%-13.8% for NbPDSa and 7.6%-23.0% for NbPDSb, whereas lower but reproducible editing was detectable in systemic leaves. The TuMV-Csy4 platform also supported editing of a second endogenous target, MAGNESIUM CHELATASE SUBUNIT H (NbChlH), and enabled multiplex editing of NbPDS and NbChlH regardless of guide order. Editing efficiencies were consistently higher in infiltrated leaves than in systemic leaves, and no visible photobleaching or chlorosis was observed in systemic tissues despite confirmed molecular editing. To assess the potential for heritable editing, a tRNAIle mobility element was fused to the NbPDS gRNA. Although this construct increased somatic editing, no albino progeny were recovered after screening approximately 20,000 seedlings, demonstrating that heritable editing was not achieved under these conditions or did not result in mutations in all copies of the two NbPDS genes. Together, these results establish TuMV as a platform for Cas9-based gRNA delivery and show that Csy4-mediated processing improves editing efficiency, supports multiplex targeting, and demonstrates the feasibility of potyvirus-based genome editing systems in plants.

genome editing platform

Engineer the eukaryotic OMEGA-Fanzor systems for genome editing in plants.

The activity of the eukaryotic OMEGA-Fanzor genome editing system remains limited in plants. We engineered the Fanzor nucleases SpuFz1, GtFz1, NlovFz2, and MmeFz2 in plants, with NlovFz2 being the most efficient, achieving up to 50.0% editing in regenerated rice plants, making it a promising tool for plant genome editing.

Oryza

CRISPR RNP-Mediated Transgene-Free Genome Editing in Plants: Advances, Challenges and Future Directions for Tree Species.

CRISPR ribonucleoprotein (RNP)-mediated genome editing offers a transgene-free platform for precise genetic modification in diverse herbaceous and tree species, including rice, wheat, apple, poplar, oil palm, rubber tree and grapevine. However, its application in woody plants faces distinct challenges, notably inefficient delivery and regeneration difficulties, particularly in species such as bamboo. While some of these issues also occur in herbaceous plants, they are often significantly more complex in woody species due to factors such as intricate cell wall architecture, widespread recalcitrant genotypes and inherent limitations of current delivery platforms. This review presents the first in-depth, critical re-evaluation of recent advancements in RNP-mediated editing in woody plants, highlighting these obstacles that warrant focused attention. Unlike plasmid-based CRISPR systems, RNP editing utilises Cas9/Cas12a protein-guide RNA complexes without integrating foreign DNA. This enables a DNA-free editing strategy that simplifies regulatory approval and minimises off-target effects due to the transient presence and rapid degradation of RNPs within plant cells. While PEG-mediated protoplast transfection and particle bombardment remain the primary reported methods for RNP delivery in trees, we evaluate promising alternative strategies such as lipofection, electroporation, cell-penetrating peptides and nanoparticle-based systems for targeted RNP delivery. Despite their promise, these advanced methods remain largely untested in woody species. Finally, we outline future research directions, including the development of tree-specific RNP delivery systems and regeneration protocols to enhance efficiency and minimise cytotoxicity. These innovations are essential for unlocking the full potential of RNP-mediated genome editing in long-lived tree species. This review provides a focused and timely roadmap for expanding the application of RNP technology across diverse woody plants.

Gene Editing

Tracking-seq: a universal off-target detection approach for CRISPR-Cas genome editing.

Tracking-seq is a highly sensitive method for genome-wide detection of off-target effects in cells edited with diverse genome editing modalities, including Cas9, cytosine base editors, adenine base editors and prime editors. Since most genome editors induce DNA repair pathways and generate single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) intermediates, Tracking-seq leverages this process by tracking replication protein A-a key protein that binds and protects ssDNA-to identify on-target and off-target events. Here we provide a detailed protocol for Tracking-seq, covering genome editing of cells, extraction of replication protein A-bound ssDNA, sequencing library construction and data analysis using our custom computational tool Offtracker. Tracking-seq is applicable to various genome editing scenarios with low cell input, delivering high-performance results. The entire workflow, from genome editing to data analysis, can be completed within 1-2 weeks, making it a rapid solution for assessing genome-wide off-target activity.

CRISPR-Cas Systems

Stepwise DNA-unwinding gates TnpB genome-editing activity.

TnpB is a compact RNA-guided endonuclease and an evolutionary ancestor of CRISPR-Cas12 that offers a promising platform for genome engineering. However, the genome-editing activity of TnpBs remains limited, and its underlying determinants are poorly understood. Here, we used biochemical and single-molecule assays to examine the DNA-unwinding mechanism of Youngiibacter multivorans TnpB (Ymu1 TnpB). DNA unwinding proceeds through a discrete, long-lived, partially unwound intermediate state before reaching a fully unwound open state. The open state forms inefficiently and collapses readily in the absence of negative supercoiling. An optimized variant, H4W-L304F-V305R (Ymu1-WFR), stabilizes formation of both the intermediate and open states, resulting in enhanced DNA cleavage in vitro and increased genome editing in plants. These findings identify the physical basis for the observed minimal activities of natural TnpBs, revealing how stabilizing specific unwinding states enables efficient DNA targeting.

Gene Editing

abCRISPR: deep learning-based design of abasic gRNA sequences for specific CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing.

SUMMARY: CRISPR-Cas9 has become a widely used tool for genome editing. However, its off-target cleavage caused by partial sequence matches with guide RNAs (gRNAs) remains a critical limitation. Recently, abasic gRNAs (ØXØ) have been developed to enhance target specificity, but their effects vary depending on the positional sequence context. Here, we present abCRISPR, a deep neural network (DNN) framework for the rational design of ØXØ sequences with minimized off-target activity. abCRISPR leverages informative few-shot training with paired datasets of abasic and unmodified gRNAs, using high-quality random mismatch target libraries, exhaustively sequenced for mismatched off-target substrates (n = 97583) in in vitro CRISPR-Cas9 cleavage experiments. Predicted off-target activities for both abasic and unmodified gRNAs showed strong correlation with experimental data (r ≥ 0.95, 10-fold cross-validation). Notably, these comprehensive training sets provide robust ground-truth negatives, enabling accurate and sensitive prediction of off-targets. For unmodified gRNAs, abCRISPR (AUC = 0.98) was validated to outperform existing deep learning-based methods (AUC = 0.45-0.68). When applied to the human genome, abCRISPR generated ØXØ sequences, covering 58 875 004 potent CRISPR-targetable sites with improved target specificity. Together, this work provides a comprehensive bioinformatics resource for safe and precise CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: The source code for abCRISPR and training data are available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20398246. abCRISPR results for the human genome are available at http://clip.korea.ac.kr/abCRISPR/.

Deep Learning

Application of compact CRISPR/Cas nucleases for citrus genome editing.

Gene editing technology continues to advance, and the range of available editing tools is steadily expanding. Recently, several compact and ultracompact systems have been developed, gaining considerable attention because their components can be efficiently packaged into viral vectors. To identify compact tools suitable for efficient genome editing in citrus, Casπ, CoCas9, along with their respective single guide RNAs, were synthesized, and CRISPR/Casπ and CRISPR/CoCas9 constructs were designed to assess their editing efficiency in 'Wanjincheng' orange (Citrus sinensis Osbeck). The Casπ was able to mediate genome editing in the citrus genome, although with low efficiency. In comparison, CoCas9 showed a transformation efficiency three times higher than that of the widely used SpCas9. Moreover, while the gene editing efficiency of CoCas9 was comparable to that of SpCas9, the significantly elevated transformation efficiency resulted in a significantly higher overall editing efficiency for CoCas9 relative to SpCas9. Mutation profiles generated by CoCas9 and SpCas9 were highly similar, and both nucleases displayed comparable target specificity at three potential off-target sites. These results indicate that Casπ is not suitable for application in citrus genome editing, whereas CoCas9 represents a promising alternative to SpCas9 for efficient and precise genome modification in citrus.

CRISPR-Cas Systems

Synergistic engineering of Casδ nuclease for robust genome editing.

Casδ is a recently identified evolutionary transitional CRISPR system characterized by its compact size (~900 amino acids), broad temperature tolerance, and guidance by a short crRNA without the requirement of a tracrRNA. However, the low editing efficiency of Casδ in eukaryotic cells limits its application. Here, we have developed a hierarchical engineering strategy to improve the genome editing activity of Casδ-1, with optimization focused on enhancing its interactions with the crRNA, the protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) duplex, the single-stranded DNA substrate, and the RNA-DNA heteroduplex. Through this strategy, we successfully generated an activity-enhanced Casδ-1 variant, designated enCasδ, which harbors 9 amino acid substitutions that synergistically augment its editing efficiency. In human cell lines, enCasδ showed 1.3- to 29.3-fold higher editing activity than the wild-type Casδ-1 across ten tested genomic loci, with an average editing efficiency of 54.6%. In addition, enCasδ also mediated robust genome editing in maize; its editing efficiency increased by an average of 5.3-fold relative to Casδ-1, and reached up to an average of 80% at the TS4 and PSY1 loci in stable transgenic lines. The overall editing performance of enCasδ was comparable to that of Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9) and other Cas12 nucleases. Collectively, enCasδ represents a highly optimized Casδ-1 variant that broadens the applicability of the Casδ CRISPR system and facilitates robust genome editing in both animal cells and plants.

Gene Editing

Powering Genome Editing in Rice by Harnessing Promising Gene Resources: A Comprehensive Roadmap.

The imprecise breeding methods including recombination breeding, physical/chemical mutagenesis, and marker-assisted breeding have been extensively utilized for trait improvement of rice crop. Despite tremendous progress made through these breeding methods, the critical issues, such as linkage drag, unintended phenotype, and longer duration of time required to breed a cultivar, have been the major limitations. Among the new breeding technologies, genome editing (GE) has become the most promising approach because of its specificity, precision, and speed. Despite its transformative potential, genome editing continues to face several limitations in crop improvement. These include well-recognized policy challenges, such as biosafety regulations and intellectual property constraints, alongside technical barriers like inefficient tissue culture and transformation systems. Additionally, researchers remain constrained by the limited availability of precise gene information necessary for accurate targeted editing and effective trait enhancement. This review presents an analysis of genes that regulate abiotic and biotic stresses, yield, grain quality and nutrition, plant architecture, nutrient absorption and use efficiency, and other agronomically important traits of rice. The trait-wise probable target genes for genome editing have been discussed in detail. This review will serve as a ready reckoner for rice researchers and funding agencies.

Oryza

Development of a highly efficient protoplast regeneration and transfection protocol for enhancing CRISPR genome editing of Brassica carinata.

Brassica carinata is an important oil crop with significant potential for food and industrial production. The application of the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing tool in B. carinata could accelerate its breeding cycle. However, no efficient DNA-free gene editing method currently exists for this species. Protoplast-based CRISPR editing presents a promising solution, though it is often challenging for many crop species. In this study, we investigated several critical factors influencing in vitro shoot regeneration, including genotype, sugar type, selection and combination of plant growth regulators (PGRs), and culture duration on different media throughout various stages of protoplast development. As a result, we developed a highly efficient, five-stage protoplast regeneration protocol for B. carinata based on specific stages of protoplast development. Key findings of this study include the requirement for high concentrations of NAA and 2,4-D in the initial medium (MI) for cell wall formation, while a lower auxin concentration relative to cytokinin was necessary for active cell division (MII). For callus growth and shoot induction, a high cytokinin-to-auxin ratio was essential (MIII), and an even higher cytokinin-to-auxin ratio was optimal for shoot regeneration (MIV). For shoot elongation, low levels of BAP and GA3 were sufficient (MV). Our results also demonstrated that the duration of culture on different media and maintaining appropriate osmotic pressure at the early stages were crucial for successful protoplast regeneration. With this optimized protocol, we achieved an average regeneration frequency of up to 64% and a transfection efficiency of 40% using the GFP marker gene. This efficient protoplast regeneration protocol is now being employed for genome editing in our lab and is expected to significantly enhance the application of the CRISPR system in both basic research and the genetic improvement of B. carinata over the long term.

Brassica carinata

Genome editing with programmable base editors in human cells.

Genome editing has garnered significant attention over the last decade, resulting in a massive expansion of the genome engineering toolbox. Base editors encompass a class of tools that enable installing single-nucleotide changes in genomic DNA without the use of double-strand breaks. With the ever-increasing development of new and/or improved base editor systems, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the abundance of options. Here, we provide clear guidance to facilitate the selection of a base editor and to design guide RNAs (gRNAs) to suit various needs. Additionally, we describe in detail how to generate gRNA plasmids, transfect various mammalian cell types, and evaluate editing efficiencies. Finally, we give alternative methods and troubleshooting tips for some common pitfalls encountered during base editing.

Humans

CRISPR-Cas technologies for precision genome editing in plants: advances, applications, and future perspectives.

Developing climate-smart crops with enhanced crop productivity, nutritional quality, resistance to biological and environmental stressors is vital for global food security. While hybrid breeding forms the cornerstone of modern crop improvement, conventional breeding approaches are limited by genetic barriers and prolonged breeding cycles. CRISPR-Cas based genome editing has revolutionized plant biology by allowing precise, efficient, and multiplex genetic modifications. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of a recent advances in CRISPR-Cas technologies and their strategic applications in crop genetics and hybrid breeding. We summarize major genome-editing strategies, including gene knock-out, base editing (BE), knock-in, gene replacement, epigenome editing, and transcriptional regulation. Furthermore, we contrast stable, transient, and DNA-free delivery systems, highlighting ribonucleoprotein (RNP)-mediated delivery for minimizing off-target effects and avoiding transgene integration. We showcase how these technologies accelerate hybrid breeding by engineering male sterility systems, fixing heterosis, and generating high-throughput mutant libraries for trait discovery. Finally, we synthesize major bottlenecks in tissue culture-independent transformation and delivery systems, while outlining how emerging paradigms like de novo domestication and synthetic biology will shape the future of climate-resilient agriculture.

CRISPR/Cas

Genome Editing in Solanaceae: Harnessing CRISPR-Cas Technology for Precision Crop Improvement.

Malnutrition and climate-induced stress remain major constraints to global food and nutritional security despite the yield gains of the Green Revolution. Solanaceae crops such as tomato, potato, brinjal, and pepper are key sources of vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds. Yet, their genetic improvement has been limited by narrow diversity and complex polygenic traits. The advent of CRISPR/Cas-mediated genome editing provides a transformative platform for precision crop improvement by enabling targeted modification of genes controlling stress tolerance, yield, and nutritional quality. In Solanaceae, CRISPR/Cas applications have successfully enhanced resistance against major pathogens (SlMlo1, SlPelo, SlDCL2), improved abiotic stress tolerance through editing of SlMAPK3, SlCBF1, and SlBZR1, and optimized fruit quality traits via modulation of Psy1, CrtR-b2, and fiAD2/3. Emerging innovations, such as base and prime editing, and RNP-mediated transgene-free delivery, are expanding the precision and scope of editing. However, challenges persist, including genotype-dependent transformation, low HDR efficiency, and incomplete understanding of off-target and epigenetic effects. Integrating CRISPR with omics-guided gene discovery, efficient transformation systems, and regulatory harmonization can accelerate the development of nutritionally enriched, stress-resilient, and sustainable Solanaceae varieties. This review synthesizes recent advances, identifies critical limitations, and outlines future opportunities for deploying CRISPR/Cas technology to achieve next-generation breeding and food system resilience.

CRISPR/Cas

In Vivo Genome Editing Approach to Disrupt Hydroxyacid Oxidase 1 for the Treatment of Primary Hyperoxaluria Type 1.

Primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder that leads to kidney and liver failure. PH1 is caused by a mutation in the alanine glyoxylate aminotransferase (AGXT) gene, which encodes a key metabolic enzyme that converts glyoxylate to glycine in the liver. Inability to metabolize glyoxylate leads to oxalate overproduction, yielding insoluble calcium oxalate crystals; accumulation of these crystals leads to progressive organ failure. Here, we used a novel, minimally disruptive genome-editing approach to disrupt the mechanism of action of hydroxyacid oxidase 1 (HAO1), an upstream enzyme in the glyoxylate metabolic pathway. Successful gene editing and disruption of the HAO1 gene is expected to increase levels of glycolate, a harmless intermediate of the glycine metabolic pathway, thereby preventing the formation of calcium oxalate crystals. We intravenously administered an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector expressing the M1HAO1 meganuclease to both wild-type and Agxt-/- mice, a mouse model of PH1. We observed >30% editing of HAO1 in Agxt-/- mice, correlating with a dose-dependent increase in serum glycolate levels. At the highest dose tested, urine glycolate levels increased by 79%, with a concomitant 75% decrease in urine oxalate levels. We also evaluated in vivo targeting in rhesus macaques injected with AAV expressing two different versions of the HAO1 meganuclease. Dose-dependent editing of hepatic DNA and RNA was achieved, and serum glycolate levels changed in a manner consistent with successful liver editing; additionally, the treatment was well tolerated. Our results indicate that AAV-delivered meganucleases can effectively target HAO1 in mice and nonhuman primates to achieve high levels of HAO1 gene editing. Moreover, increased glycolate levels in serum indicate that this intervention significantly impacts the HAO1-mediated glycolate-to-glyoxylate pathway. These data suggest that this approach may represent an effective treatment for PH1.

Hyperoxaluria, Primary