Genome Editing of Eukarya

Genome editing is the process of altering an organism’s DNA by either deleting, substituting, or inserting DNA or changing the chromosomal structure, in a targeted manner. Genome editing is used for fundamental gene function studies, construction of cell factories, and gene therapy [1, 137, 263]. While humans have harnessed the power of naturally occurring mutations for millennia to artificially select improved, domesticated plant lines and animal breeds, modern techniques for genome editing allow for more accurate control of DNA changes and enable modification of living organisms by design[18].The advent of new molecular biological tools together with the increasing number of eukaryotic genomes available has enabled targeted genetic modification of many organisms, including plants, fungi, animals, andhumans.This chapter seeks to present the history and current techniques for genome editing in eukaryotes.