CRISPR/Cas genome editing: Innovations and impacts on animal protein production

Abstract Food security has become an urgent global challenge as global population growth and climate change intensify. Livestock production systems must adapt to meet the growing demand for high-quality animal protein while minimizing environmental impacts. CRISPR/Cas genome editing has emerged as a transformative technology, enabling precise genetic modifications that enhance productivity, improve disease resistance, and promote animal welfare. In this context, this review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the current advancements in CRISPR/Cas genome editing tools for animal protein production, while addressing the challenges and future prospects of applying genome editing in livestock farming. Several studies have targeted genes associated with meat production, milk improvement, disease susceptibility, and animal welfare. The results have shown success in developing edited animals that increase meat production and milk quality and make animals more resilient to various infections, thereby reducing the economic losses associated with disease outbreaks. However, this advance still faces challenges, including technical, regulatory and ethical issues, and public acceptance. Even so, some of these edited animals are in the advanced stages of the regulatory approval process in some countries, including cattle with heat tolerance, pigs with resistance against PRRS-virus, and some fish that present an increase in meat production. In this context, this review consolidates current knowledge on CRISPR/Cas applications in animal protein production, highlights significant achievements, and addresses challenges related to the regulatory landscape, public perception, and ethical concerns. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of adaptable regulatory frameworks to ensure the responsible and sustainable advancement of genome editing in livestock.