ZHOU Yongjin and colleagues developed novel genetic tools for precise genome editing in Pichia pastoris by enhancing homologous recombination (HR) rates and engineering the multiple intrusion-induced rearrangement (MIR) processes. The key gene RAD52, which played crucial role in HR repair in Pichia pastoris, was overexpressed for improving the efficiency of single gene editing to 90%. This advanced gene editing systems can theoretically realize stable loading of more than 100 exogenous genes and precise regulating of gene expression in Pichia pastoris, which will provide convenience for the synthetic biology research of Pichia pastoris. 

CAS news release, July 9, 2021