Described herein are methods and compositions for autocatalytic genome editing and neutralizing autocatalytic genome editing. The autocatalytic genome editing may be based on genomic integration of a construct containing multiple elements or on a trans-complementation approach, in which genetic elements can be propagated separately. The disclosure provides a method for autocatalytic genome editing based on the CRISPR/CAS9 system, and methods of use thereof, in animals, humans, and plants for eliminating pathogens, targeting suppression of crop pests, strategies to combat virus (e.g., HIV) and other diseases (e.g., cancer) caused by retrovirus, as well as to generate homozygous mutations that are transmitted to nearly all offspring.
