SYLLABUS
GS-3: Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology
Context: Indian scientists have developed a “miniature” indigenous alternative to proprietary CRISPR-Cas tools.
Indigenous Gene Editing Technology
- Indian scientists developed a genome-editing tool using Transposon-associated proteins (TnpB). TnpB proteins is a compact and low-cost alternative to CRISPR-Cas systems.
- The technology is patented by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
- The technology provides a molecular scissor for precise DNA cutting in plants.
Key Features
- TnpB proteins are much smaller (about 400-500 amino acids) compared to Cas9 (1,000-1,400 amino acids), easing delivery into cells.
- The smaller size allows use of viral vectors for direct delivery, bypassing complex tissue culture methods.
- It edits native plant genes without introducing foreign DNA, differing from genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
Advantages
- The technology is free from foreign intellectual property (IP) restrictions, reducing licensing costs.
- It enhances Atmanirbhar Bharat by promoting self-reliance and protecting sovereignty in agricultural biotechnology.
- It enables affordable commercial genome-edited (GE) crops, benefiting small and marginal farmers.
- The Small cargo size enables the TnpB protein to be easily packed in a viral vector that can be directly injected into the cell.
Differences between Genetically Modified Crops and Gene Edited Crops
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