Beyonu ssngie-Target Ľaning: Muiupiex Criðrk design Logic for Network-Level Intervention in Plant Pathology

In plant pathosystems, disease resistance and susceptibility often result from complex network interactions among genes, signaling pathways, pathogen effectors, and environmental factors. This phenomenon, described by the concept of "Distributed Causality," limits traditional single-target CRISPR editing approaches against backup layers, functional redundancy, and rapid pathogen adaptation. This conceptual-analytical review, with an interdisciplinary perspective integrating systems biology, network theory, and bioengineering, presents Multiplex CRISPR as a novel paradigm for the intelligent redesign of plant defense. We demonstrate that Multiplex CRISPR extends beyond a simple increase in the number of editing targets; it represents a strategic, architecture-oriented logic that enables simultaneous intervention at multiple key nodes of biological networks. Within this framework, three main intervention architectures are proposed: ۱) Redundancy Collapse to break functional compensation, ۲) Pathway Co-disruption to block pathogenic signaling flow, and ۳) Layered Intervention across biological scales to establish defense in depth. Furthermore, four strategic classes of target design are elaborated, including parallel targeting of equivalent nodes, hierarchical targeting within a pathway, cross-compartment targeting, and host-pathogen interface targeting. These classifications help researchers select targets based on network topology, interaction relationships, and emergent dynamics, rather than solely on the number of RNAs. The article presents conceptual criteria for multiplexing justification: the presence of redundancy or buffering, the network-based and emergent nature of the target phenotype, the need for stability against pathogen escape, and a clear architecture for each target. Concurrently, common conceptual pitfalls such as target accumulation without strategy, equating quantity with quality, attribution ambiguity, and overclaiming are examined, with solutions proposed based on multi-omics, computational modeling, and interpretive transparency. This interdisciplinary approach bridges plant biology, computer science (network theory), genetic engineering, and sustainable agriculture, providing a platform for developing broad-spectrum, transgene-free, and ecologically sound resistance. Ultimately, Multiplex CRISPR, as a tool for transitioning from point editing to engineering complex biological systems, can play a key role in addressing challenges of food security, climate change, and emerging diseases.

کلیدواژه ها:

Multiplex CRISPR ، plant genome editing ، plant pathology ، distributed causality ، systems biology ، genetic networks ، disease resistance ، functional redundancy ، network-centric engineering ، sustainable agriculture ، CRISPR-Cas ، intervention architecture design