DNA base editing in nuclear and organellar genomes

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Genetics
• Biotechnology

Background:

• CRISPR/Cas systems are revolutionizing biological research due to their simplicity and flexibility.
• Fusion of Cas nucleases with other protein domains enables novel genome editing functionalities.
• Base and prime editors offer precise, site-specific nucleotide alterations without double-strand breaks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current base editing methods for nuclear and organellar genomes.
• To highlight advancements in precision, specificity, and efficiency of base editing technologies.
• To discuss limitations, future challenges, and applications in biotechnology and gene therapy.

Main Methods:

• Review of CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing technologies.
• Analysis of base editors and prime editors utilizing nucleoside deaminase or reverse transcriptase fusions.
• Inclusion of protein-only genome editing reagents for organellar DNA editing.

Main Results:

• Base and prime editing systems allow precise single-nucleotide modifications.
• Genome editing has been extended to chloroplast and mitochondrial DNA.
• Recent advances focus on enhancing editing precision, specificity, and efficiency.

Conclusions:

• Base editing offers powerful tools for precise genome modification in various systems.
• Continued development is crucial for overcoming limitations and expanding applications.
• Applications in agricultural biotechnology and gene therapy show significant promise.