Third-generation novel technologies for gene editing

Abstract

Gene editing technologies have revolutionized the field of biotechnology. CRISPR-Cas methods using RNA-guided enzymes are the most used gene editing tools and have produced gene-edited crops (rice, wheat, corn, etc.) and human therapeutics (Casgevy, approved for commercial use; Vertex Pharmaceuticals). However, these systems have some limitations, including the requirement of a protospacer adjacent motif sequence, generation of undesirable double-strand breaks (DSBs), and the inability to edit long genomic segments. Some of these limitations were partially addressed by the development of second-generation editors, including base editors (BEs) and prime editors (PEs). Third-generation gene editing technologies such as seekRNA and bridgeRNA can overcome most of these limitations and are the subject of this review.

Keywords: CAST; CRISPR; Cas3; OMEGA; PASSIGE; PASTE; gene editing; seekRNA/bridgeRNA.