Fig. 3.

Base editing and Prime editing applications (current & future). (A) Molecular recorders use BE to carry out nucleotide substitution relative to a specific stimulus. The base editing takes place in the presence of an external signal. The output signal either be phenotypic which can be recorded in the real-time or genotypic read via sequencing. DNA-writing technology can be expanded by the incorporation of PEs. (B) BE and PE can play a critical role in crop improvement. It has already been used for herbicide and disease resistance and trait improvement. (C) Artificial evolution can be achieved by BE/PE via the development of sgRNA/pegRNA libraries. UGI deprived CBE can lead to versatile mutations like C-to-G and C-to-A, this ability can be exploited for direct protein evolution. (D) Metabolic engineering in plants and bacteria can be improved by enhancing the enzymatic activity and deleting the competitive pathways by BE/PE tools.