Why in the news?

  • Scientists have engineered a new CRISPR protein called GlowCas9.

GlowCas9

  • What is it?: A bioluminescent variant of Cas9 engineered by fusing Cas9 with a split nano-luciferase enzyme derived from deep-sea shrimp proteins.
  • Developed by: Developed by scientists at Bose Institute, Kolkata (DST)
  • Key Features:
    • Real-time Visualization owing to bioluminescence.
    • More thermostable and structurally stable than conventional Cas9.
    • Increased precision in Gene editing
    • Offers possibilities for safe, non-transgenic crop improvement.
    • Demonstrates potential for targeted and customizable DNA repair.

CRISPR-Cas9

  • Full-Form: Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats – Cas9 (CRISPR-associated protein 9).
  • Function: A precise, efficient, and versatile gene-editing tool.
  • Applications:
    • Medicine:
      • Treats genetic disorders (e.g., sickle cell anemia, cystic fibrosis).
      • Advances cancer research (e.g., CAR-T therapy, tumor models).
      • Corrects inherited mutations (e.g., eye disorders via stem cells).
    • Agriculture:
      • Enhances crop traits (e.g., disease resistance, higher yield).
      • Edits plant genomes (e.g., sweeter tomatoes using CRISPR variants like Cas12, Cas13).
    • Research:
      • Identifies gene functions.
      • Develops CRISPR-based diagnostics for pathogens.
  • Advantages
    • Precision: Targets specific DNA sequences.
    • Efficiency: Faster and cheaper than traditional methods.
    • Versatility: Applicable across species.
  • Challenges
    • Ethical Concerns: Germline editing and “designer babies.”
    • Off-Target Effects: Risk of unintended genome changes.
    • Patent Disputes: Restricts accessibility (e.g., CRISPR patents held by Broad Institute).
    • Cost and Accessibility: Limited reach in low-resource settings.
  • Notable Milestones:
    • Nobel Prize (2020): Dr. Jennifer Doudna and Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier.

Source: PIB