To design microorganisms with precise target recognition capabilities through gene editing to remove specific pollutants or pathogens, the following steps can be followed: 1. **Identify the target pollutants or pathogens**: - First, it is necessary to identify the specific pollutants (such as heavy metals, pesticides, etc.) or pathogens (such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc.) to be removed. 2. **Gene targeted identification**: - Use genome sequencing and bioinformatics methods to analyze the characteristic genes of the target pollutants or pathogens, such as unique metabolic pathways or important structural proteins. - Design specific targeting sequences for gene editing tools such as CRISPR/Cas9, TALEN or ZFN for these characteristic genes. 3. **Construct expression system**: - Insert genes for target recognition and removal (such as genes that break toxic substances or fight pathogens) into the genome of the microorganism. Suitable gene vectors (such as plasmids) can be selected for gene transfer. - Design appropriate promoters to ensure that these genes are expressed under conditions of target recognition and removal. 4. **Select and screen transformed microorganisms**: - Use methods such as resistance markers or fluorescent markers to screen successfully transformed microorganisms and perform functional verification to confirm that they can recognize and remove target pollutants or pathogens under specific conditions. 5. **Optimize the function of microorganisms**: - Through directed evolution or adaptation experiments, optimize the metabolic pathways of microorganisms to improve their removal capacity and adaptability. At the same time, analyze the metabolites to ensure that no harmful substances are produced. 6. **Environmental adaptability testing**: - Test the degradation effect of microorganisms on target pollutants or pathogens in a laboratory environment, and evaluate their adaptability to environmental factors (such as temperature, pH, salinity, etc.). 7. **Ecological risk assessment**: - Conduct ecological risk assessment on gene-edited microorganisms, including the impact on non-target organisms, gene leakage risks, etc., to ensure their safety. 8. **Application and monitoring**: - Apply the designed microorganisms to the control of specific contaminated sites or pathogens, and establish a monitoring system to evaluate their effects and possible ecological impacts. 9. **Regulatory compliance**: - Follow relevant regulations and ethical standards to ensure that the development and application of gene-edited microorganisms are legal and compliant. Through these steps, gene-edited microorganisms can be effectively designed and used to achieve the goal of accurately removing specific pollutants or pathogens.