New advances in CRISPR/Cas-mediated precise gene-editing techniques

Over the past decade, CRISPR/Cas-based gene editing has become a powerful tool for generating mutations in a variety of model organisms, from Escherichia coli to zebrafish, rodents and large mammals. CRISPR/Cas-based gene editing effectively generates insertions or deletions (indels), which allow for rapid gene disruption. However, a large proportion of human genetic diseases are caused by single-base-pair substitutions, which result in more subtle alterations to protein function, and which require more complex and precise editing to recreate in model systems. Precise genome editing (PGE) methods, however, typically have efficiencies of less than a tenth of those that generate less-specific indels, and so there has been a great deal of effort to improve PGE efficiency. Such optimisations include optimal guide RNA and mutation-bearing donor DNA template design, modulation of DNA repair pathways that underpin how edits result from Cas-induced cuts, and the development of Cas9 fusion proteins that introduce edits via alternative mechanisms. In this Review, we provide an overview of the recent progress in optimising PGE methods and their potential for generating models of human genetic disease.

Automated summary

Over the past decade, CRISPR/Cas-based gene editing has become a powerful tool for generating mutations in various organisms. However, the method's efficiency in generating precise genome editing (PGE) is typically lower than that of generating less precise insertions or deletions (indels). Efforts have been made to optimize PGE methods, including designing optimal guide RNA and donor DNA templates, modulating DNA repair pathways, and developing Cas9 fusion proteins. This review provides an overview of recent progress in optimizing PGE methods and their potential for generating human disease models.