CRISPR-mediated RNA editing: Mechanisms, agricultural applications, and therapeutic development

Abstract

CRISPR-Cas systems have revolutionized both molecular biology and agricultural biotechnology by enabling precise manipulation of genetic material at unprecedented scale and specificity. While DNA-targeting CRISPR systems like Cas9 have dominated genome editing applications, RNA-targeting CRISPR-Cas enzymes offer distinct advantages for agricultural crop improvement and therapeutic applications, including transient effects, reduced off-target mutagenesis, compatibility with large genes, and rapid phenotypic expression. This review synthesizes recent advances in three complementary RNA-editing platforms CRISPR-Cas13d structural mechanisms, programmatic CRISPR-mediated trans-splicing, and chemical modification strategies for enhancing guide RNA function with emphasising on agricultural applications for crop improvement, disease resistance, and yield enhancement. We examine how understanding the molecular basis of RNA targeting enables rational engineering of improved CRISPR tools for transcriptome engineering in both therapeutic development and sustainable agriculture.