Optimization of CRISPR/Cas System for Improving Genome Editing Efficiency in Plasmodium falciparum

This study focuses on improving genome editing in Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite that causes malaria, using CRISPR/Cas technology. Researchers developed an improved CRISPR/Cas9 system, named Cas9i, which allows for faster creation of transgenic parasite strains and enables multiplexed genome editing. They also adapted the CRISPR/Cpf1 system, an alternative to Cas9, for use in malaria parasites, expanding the toolkit for gene editing in this pathogen.

• 1
  The Cas9i system significantly shortened the time required to generate transgenic strains of P. falciparum.
• 2
  Multiplexed genome editing (mutating or tagging multiple genes) was successfully achieved in P. falciparum using the Cas9i system.
• 3
  The AsCpf1 system was successfully adapted into P. falciparum parasites and shown to be effective for gene editing, offering an alternative to Cas9.