Strategies for mitochondrial gene editing

Mitochondria, as the energy factory of cells, participate in metabolism processes and play a critical role in the maintenance of human life activities. Mitochondria belong to semi-automatic organelles, which have their own genome different from nuclear genome. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations can cause a series of diseases and threaten human health. However, an effective approach to edit mitochondrial DNA, though long-desired, is lacking. In recent years, gene editing technologies, represented by restriction endonucleases (RE) technology, zinc finger nuclease (ZFN) technology, transcription activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN) technology, CRISPR system and pAgo-based system have been comprehensively explored, but the application of these technologies in mitochondrial gene editing is still to be explored and optimized. The present study highlights the progress and limitations of current mitochondrial gene editing technologies and approaches, and provides insights for development of novel strategies for future attempts. (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Research Network of Computational and Structural Biotechnology.

Automated summary

Mitochondria, as the energy powerhouse of cells, have their own unique genome separate from the nuclear genome. Mutations in mitochondrial DNA can lead to diseases and health issues, but editing these genes effectively remains a challenge. Current gene editing technologies have been explored for mitochondrial gene editing, but further research and optimization are needed for their application in this specific area.