Archive · 5 Jan 2026
Indigenous Genome Editing for Food Security
Scientists in India have found a new way to edit the genes of rice plants using a smaller and easier-to-use tool called TpnB.
This tool is part of a family of mobile genetic elements known as transposons, which can move around within the genome.
The researchers showed that TpnB can make precise changes to the rice plant's DNA, similar to the more well-known CRISPR-Cas9 system.
They successfully edited genes in rice plants to create albino varieties, demonstrating the potential of this technology for crop improvement.
This new method could be particularly useful for countries like India that need affordable and accessible tools for food security and agriculture.
Scientists at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research’s Central Rice Research Institute developed a transposon-based genome editing technology using TpnB.
TpnB is a compact protein that can edit genes in rice plants with an efficiency of up to 34% in protoplasts.
The technology targets specific DNA sequences adjacent to a TTGAT motif, making it suitable for precise gene editing.
The team successfully edited multiple genes simultaneously and created albino rice plants by targeting genes responsible for chloroplast development.
This new method offers an alternative to CRISPR-Cas9, potentially making genome editing more accessible for food security and agriculture in low- and middle-income countries.
- Who
- Kutubuddin Ali Molla and his team at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research’s Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack.
- What
- Development of a transposon-based genome editing technology using TpnB for crop breeding.
- When
- The article does not specify a date, but the research is recent.
- Where
- The research was conducted at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research’s Central Rice Research Institute in Cuttack, India.
- Why
- To provide an alternative to CRISPR-Cas9 for genome editing, especially for low- and middle-income countries facing food security challenges.
- CRISPR-Cas9
- A bacterial adaptive immune system used for genome editing.
- Transposons
- Mobile genetic elements that can move within genomes, also known as 'jumping genes'.
- TpnB
- An RNA-guided transposon-associated protein used for genome editing in rice plants.
- ICAR CRRI
- Indian Council of Agricultural Research’s Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack.
- Editing Efficiency
- The percentage of successful genome edits achieved using TpnB in rice plants.
- Target-Adjacent Motif (TAM)
- A specific DNA sequence required for TpnB to target and edit genes.
- Base Editing
- A technique to make precise changes to individual nucleotides in DNA.
- Albino Rice Plants
- Rice plants with altered chloroplast development due to genome editing.