CRISPR-Cas: A History of Discovery and Innovation

CRISPR-Cas (Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated [Cas]) is a rapidly evolving RNA-mediated adaptive immune system that protects bacteria and archaea against invading genetic elements. This system has been harnessed for genome engineering in animals, plants, and microbes, enabling precise and efficient modifications of DNA sequences. CRISPR-Cas genome editing has become a cutting-edge molecular tool for crop improvements, such as yield and nutrient content, enhancing disease resistance, abiotic stress tolerance, plant growth and morphology, secondary metabolism, biofuel production, and fiber quality. This mini-review provides a concise overview of the remarkable history of CRISPR-Cas systems, from the initial discovery of a mysterious sequence in Escherichia coli to genome editing in higher plants to the latest developments in genetic editing tools, such as base editing (BE) and prime editing (PE), which offer more precision and efficiency.