Opto-CRISPR: new prospects for gene editing and regulation

• Published in: Trends in biotechnology (Regular ed.)
• Main Authors: Huang, Hui-Cong, Wu, Lin-Feng, Liu, Kai, Ma, Bin-Guang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 17.07.2025
• Subjects: CRISPR/Cas9; gene editing; gene regulation; Internal Medicine; optogenetics; synthetic biology; synthetic biology; CRISPR/Cas9; gene regulation; gene editing; optogenetics
• ISSN: 0167-7799; 1879-3096; 1879-3096
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.06.018

Opto-clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) technology combines the advantages of optogenetics and the CRISPR/Cas system to remotely regulate the expression or editing of specific genes through light signals.The off-target effect of the CRISPR/Cas system is effectively mitigated by the spatial and temporal precision of light projection.Diverse optical control mechanisms enhance the flexibility and functionality of CRISPR/Cas systems, providing an adaptable and efficient tool to explore and solve complex problems related to the life sciences.Opto-CRISPR demonstrates significant potential in regulating metabolic flux to enhance chemical synthesis.Opto-CRISPR offers unprecedented opportunities for disease therapeutics, including disease-related gene operation, precise control of drug delivery, and facilitation of synergistic drug effects. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) technology represents a landmark advance in the field of gene editing. However, conventional CRISPR/Cas systems are limited by inadequate temporal and spatial control. In recent years, the development of optically controlled CRISPR (Opto-CRISPR) technology has offered a novel solution to this issue. As a combination of optogenetics and the CRISPR technology, the Opto-CRISPR technology enables dynamic space–time-specific gene editing and regulation in cells and organisms. In this review, we concisely introduce the basic principles of Opto-CRISPR, summarize its operational mechanisms, and discuss its applications and recent advances across various research fields. In addition, this review analyzes the limitations of Opto-CRISPR, aiming to provide a reference for the development of this emerging field. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) technology represents a landmark advance in the field of gene editing. However, conventional CRISPR/Cas systems are limited by inadequate temporal and spatial control. In recent years, the development of optically controlled CRISPR (Opto-CRISPR) technology has offered a novel solution to this issue. As a combination of optogenetics and the CRISPR technology, the Opto-CRISPR technology enables dynamic space–time-specific gene editing and regulation in cells and organisms. In this review, we concisely introduce the basic principles of Opto-CRISPR, summarize its operational mechanisms, and discuss its applications and recent advances across various research fields. In addition, this review analyzes the limitations of Opto-CRISPR, aiming to provide a reference for the development of this emerging field.