Core Insights - The research team from Yanzhou Bay National Laboratory and Peking University has developed a new genome editing strategy called the "Mortise and Tenon System," which has achieved insertion and replacement efficiencies of 16.30% to 59.47% in rice, providing a new tool for precise plant genome editing and opening new pathways for crop genetic improvement [2][3] Group 1: Technology Development - The "Mortise and Tenon System" is inspired by traditional Chinese wooden architecture, focusing on the precise complementary pairing of "tenon" and "mortise" [3] - The system utilizes a unique double-strand break structure at target genomic sites, allowing for precise insertion or replacement of DNA segments through end-capture mechanisms [3] Group 2: Advantages of the System - The system exhibits three core advantages: strong specificity, broad applicability, and comprehensive functionality, enabling precise generation of expected sticky ends and effective editing across various target sites [3] - It can perform both precise insertion of small segments and replacement of segments, with stable inheritance of editing events to offspring [3] Group 3: Future Potential - The "Mortise and Tenon System" theoretically possesses the potential for large fragment DNA editing, with ongoing optimization of key technologies related to donor delivery efficiency and large fragment donor preparation [3] - Future integration of novel delivery technologies and donor modification methods may further reduce off-target risks and expand the system's application in more crops [3]

Core Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of ensuring food security and sustainable agricultural development in the face of global population growth, climate change, and decreasing arable land resources [1] Group 1: Technological Innovations in Crop Improvement - A review paper published in Nature discusses the integration of multi-omics, genome editing, protein design, high-throughput phenotyping, and artificial intelligence (AI) in crop genetic improvement [2][3] - Modern omics technologies, such as genomics and metabolomics, provide unprecedented capabilities to analyze crop genetic information, revealing new loci for precise trait improvement [4] - High-throughput phenotyping (HTP) technologies utilize drones and sensors for rapid and accurate assessment of crop traits, effectively linking genotype to phenotype [4] Group 2: Genome Editing and Protein Design - Genome editing technologies, exemplified by CRISPR, enable efficient and precise modifications of crop genomes, significantly shortening breeding cycles and rapidly creating desirable traits [4] - AI-driven protein design technologies are emerging, allowing the creation of novel proteins with specific functions, which can lead to breakthroughs in disease resistance and environmental monitoring [4] Group 3: AI-Assisted Crop Design Framework - The review introduces an "AI-assisted crop design" model that integrates and analyzes multimodal big data from genomics, phenomics, environment, and management practices [19] - Breeders can set specific improvement goals, such as yield enhancement or stress resistance, while AI generates optimized breeding plans through deep learning and knowledge reasoning [19] Group 4: Challenges and Future Directions - The article discusses the challenges and future directions for the application of new technologies, highlighting the need for high-quality, standardized data for training AI models [21] - Regulatory policies for genome-edited crops are evolving towards more scientific and simplified frameworks, creating favorable conditions for the widespread application of new technologies [21]