‘ISDra2TnpB’ is being seen as a next-generation tool for genome editing in plants that can overcome the limitations of Cas9 and Cas12 of CRISPR.
- CRISPR allows precise genome editing but has limitations due to the size of commonly used proteins Cas9 and Cas12 (consisting of 1,000–1,350 amino acids).
- The large size poses challenges for effective delivery inside cells, especially through viral vectors.
- TnpB proteins are considered the evolutionary ancestors of Cas12 nucleases and consist of only around 350–500 amino acids.
About Genome editing tool ISDra2TnpB
- It is derived from bacteria called Deinococcus radiodurans (it can survive extreme environmental conditions).
- It belongs to a family of transposons or jumping genes that can move within the genome, targeting specific DNA sequences with the help of RNA.
Significance
- TnpB can target unique regions in the genome that Cas9 cannot.
- It facilitates the creation of fusion proteins, broadening the scope of genome engineering applications.
- A fusion protein (chimeric protein) is created by joining two or more genes that originally coded for separate proteins.
- It was effective on both types of flowering plants monocots (like rice, which have one seed leaf) and dicots (like Arabidopsis).
