Unraveling the application of CRISPR/Cas system in natural product research

Abstract

Throughout human history, fruits have been consumed as a staple food that provides many nutrients, including vitamins, carbohydrates, minerals, and dietary fiber. In addition, fruits are rich in secondary metabolites (SMs), which have therapeutic potential and possess antioxidant properties, and can combat many diseases, such as heart disease, hypertension, etc. Bringing fruit plants into cultivation serves as a means to provide food or increase the product's value. Due to the labor and complications associated with conventional breeding, researchers are discovering cost-effective, efficient, and fast-targeted genome editing techniques. Plant science has seen an increase in attention in recent years due to the discovery of sequence-specific nucleases, such as CRISPR/Cas, and ribonucleoproteins (RNPs), which have greatly advanced the process of breeding since it is simple and highly effective. Our topic for this chapter is the CRISPR/Cas technology, its use in the fruit industry to optimize nutrients and antinutrients, bottlenecks, and what the future holds. © 2023 Apple Academic Press, Inc.