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 

Sources:
Indian Express

Alliance for Science