The evolving landscape of precise DNA insertion in plants.

Van Vu, Tien; Thi Nguyen, Ngan; Kim, Jihae; Sung, Yeon Woo; Chung, Woo Sik; Kim, Jae-Yean · Nat Commun · 2025

review · Level V

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Abstract

Precise DNA insertion into plant genomes is central to advancing crop improvement and synthetic biology. CRISPR-Cas systems have enabled programmable DNA integration using tools such as gene targeting (GT), prime editing (PE), and recombinase- or transposase-based platforms. These tools are transitioned from theoretical concepts to practical applications, supporting applications like in-locus protein tagging, regulatory element engineering, and multi-gene stacking. Key challenges persist, such as inefficient large-fragment insertion, delivery barriers, and regulatory hurdles. This review traces the evolution from random to CRISPR-Cas-based systems, analyzes current limitations, and discusses emerging solutions paving the way for predictable DNA insertion in modern plant biotechnology.

Medical subject headings