# A long journey towards genome editing technologies in plants: a technical and critical review of genome editing technologies

## TL;DR

This paper reviews recent advances in plant genome editing technologies, focusing on CRISPR/Cas9, base editing, and prime editing to improve crops for global warming challenges.

## Contribution

The paper critically analyzes recent innovations in SpCas9-based tools and methodological advancements in prime editing for precise plant genome modifications.

## Key findings

- Dual pegRNA strategies and site-specific integrases enhance prime editing for precise gene insertions.
- SpCas9-based tools have seen improvements in editing efficiency and specificity.
- Insights into DNA repair mechanisms guide future genome editing applications in plant breeding.

## Abstract

Advancements in genome editing technologies, notably CRISPR/Cas9, base editing (BE), and prime editing (PE), have revolutionized plant biotechnology, offering unprecedented precision in crop improvement to address the ongoing global warming challenge. This review provides a critical analysis of recent developments in SpCas9-based editing tools, emphasizing enhancements in editing efficiency and specificity and follow the chronological development of editing tools. We explore methodological innovations, including dual pegRNA strategies and site-specific integrases, that have expanded the potential of PE for precise gene insertions. By integrating insights into DNA repair mechanisms and leveraging SpCas9 enhancements, we outline future directions for the application of genome editing in plant breeding.