[Advances in genome editing technologies in Komagataella phaffii and their applications in biomanufacturing]

Komagataella phaffii is widely recognized as a premier host for the production of recombinant proteins and value-added metabolites, owing to its low background secretion of endogenous proteins, strong capacity for heterologous protein secretion, and robust growth and metabolic performance under industrially relevant fermentation conditions. In recent years, rapid progress in genome editing technologies and synthetic biology toolkits has markedly improved the precision and efficiency of gene function interrogation, metabolic pathway reconstruction, and dynamic regulation in K. phaffii, thereby continuously strengthening its performance as a microbial cell factory. Consequently, beyond its established roles in producing recombinant proteins, industrial enzymes, and vaccine antigens, K. phaffii has also demonstrated substantial potential for the biosynthesis of natural products, biopharmaceutical molecules, and emerging biomaterials. This review systematically summarizes the evolution of genome engineering technologies in K. phaffii, spanning the transition from conventional recombination-based methods to next-generation precision editing tools. We highlight recent advances, optimization strategies, and engineering practices of CRISPR/Cas and related systems in this host. Moreover, in light of emerging research trends, we discuss key challenges and opportunities associated with improving editing efficiency, enabling rapid assembly of complex metabolic pathways, and accelerating industrial translation, thereby providing a reference for the rational engineering of Komagataella phaffii and its broader applications in synthetic biology and biomanufacturing.