Patent for a Next-Generation Genome Editing tool granted to ICAR-CRRI 
Genome editing tools like Cas9 and Cas12a are widely used, but their large size (~1300 aa) limits delivery. Scientists at ICAR-CRRI have developed a compact alternative: TnpB, a transposon-associated nuclease only 408 amino acids long—one-third the size of Cas9/Cas12a.
ICAR–Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI), Cuttack, has been granted a patent for its breakthrough innovation “Systems and Methods for Targeted Genome Editing in Plants”, centred on a miniature RNA-guided nuclease TnpB.
The CRRI team demonstrated its high performance in both monocots (rice) and dicots (Arabidopsis), achieving up to 69% editing efficiency. The system also supports multiplex editing and base editing in plants.
This patented miniature TnpB system opens new avenues for efficient delivery, precise editing, and advanced gene regulation in plants—positioning India at the forefront of next-generation genome engineering.
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