Fungal genome editing using CRISPR-Cas nucleases: A new tool for the management of plant diseases

Fungal diseases have drastic effects on the quality and yield of crops, thereby developing an alarming situation for global food security. Filamentous fungi have been the leading candidate for genetic manipulation to achieve sustainable agriculture. Revolution in genetic engineering has been sparked due to the emergence of the CRISPR-Cas system, which has surpassed the other genome editing techniques due to marker-free strategy, high adaptability, simple design, and efficiency. Plant biology has been revolutionized by the development of disease-resistant plants and the genetic manipulation of phytopathogenic fungi. To date, a variety of fungal species have been engineered using CRISPR. Although the history of genome editing in filamentous fungi using CRISPR-Cas is short and there are still various evolving factors that affect the engineering frequency, yet the system has already shown priceless application possibilities. In future, this technology is expected to bring more significant advancements in basic research and for the development of novel natural agricultural products.