10-Nov-2022: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh dedicates to the nation, India’s first national repository for life science data-‘Indian Biological Data Center’ (IBDC) at Faridabad, Haryana

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Science and Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Earth Science; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Space and Atomic Energy, Dr Jitendra Singh dedicated to the nation India’s first national repository for life science data-‘Indian Biological Data Center’ (IBDC) at Faridabad, Haryana.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Jitendra Singh said, as per the BIOTECH-PRIDE guidelines of the Government of India, IBDC is mandated to archive all life science data generated from publicly-funded research in India.

Supported by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), it has been established at Regional Centre of Biotechnology (RCB), Faridabad with a data ‘Disaster Recovery’ site at National Informatics Centre (NIC), Bhubaneshwar.

It has a data storage capacity of about 4 petabytes and houses the ‘Brahm’ High Performance Computing (HPC) facility. The computational infrastructure at IBDC is also made available for researchers interested in performing computational-intensive analysis. Users can contact the data center by submitting their requests at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Dr Jitendra Singh informed that IBDC has started nucleotide data submission services via two data portals viz. the ‘Indian Nucleotide Data Archive (INDA)’ and ‘Indian Nucleotide Data Archive - Controlled Access (INDA-CA)’ and has accumulated over 200 billion bases from 2,08,055 submissions from more than 50 research labs across India.

It also hosts an online ‘Dashboard’ for the genomic surveillance data generated by the INSACOG labs (https://inda.rcb.ac.in/insacog/statisticsinsacog). The dashboard provides customized data submission, access, data analysis services, and real-time SARS-CoV-2 variant monitoring across India. Data submission and access portals for other data types are under development and would be launched shortly.

Fundamentally, IBDC is committed to the spirit of data sharing as per FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) principles. IBDC is being developed in a modular fashion wherein different sections would typically deal with particular type/s of life science data.

The computational infrastructure at IBDC is also made available for researchers interested in performing computational intensive analysis. Users can contact the data center by submitting their requests at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Further, IBDC conducts regular workshops and orientations (https://ibdc.rcb.res.in/news-and-announcement/) to assist users in submitting the data. Video tutorials for data submission to IBDC are also available at the data center website. The data center team can also be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for scheduling of any workshop on data submission/analysis.

3-Nov-2022: CRISPR gene-editing possible in temperature sensitive organisms, plants & crop varieties

The CRISPR gene-editing technology that received the Nobel Prize in 2020 has witnessed a new height. Indian scientists have demonstrated for the first time that the associated Cas9 enzyme, which acts as molecular scissors to cut DNA at a location specified by a guide RNA, can bind to and cut the target DNA at very low temperatures.

This work has shown the highly efficient functioning of this platform at temperatures as low as 4oC, making it possible to edit genes in temperature sensitive organisms, plants, or crop varieties.

CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) are short DNA sequences found in the genome of prokaryotic organisms such as bacteria, which are reminders of previous bacteriophage (viruses) attacks that the bacteria successfully defended against. Cas9 enzyme (part of bacteria’s defence mechanism) uses these flags to precisely target and cut any foreign DNA, thus protecting the bacteria from future attacks by similar bacteriophages. The unprecedented precision of targeting the DNA sequences and then efficiently cutting them is the basis for CRISPR-Cas9 technology, which has been recently demonstrated in editing genes in cells and organisms.

CRISPR-Cas9 technology has been successfully used for many purposes, including basic studies of gene function, agriculture, and medicine to increase our knowledge of disease processes and their potential future therapies. So far, most binding trials were typically performed at 37 °C.

As a further step to advance this platform into the forefront of biomedical and analytical biotechnology, scientists of Raman Research Institute (RRI), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), have explored temperature-dependent binding and release of cleaved products by the Cas9 enzyme. Serene Rose David, Sumanth Kumar Maheshwaram, Divya Shet & Mahesh B. Lakshminarayana, under the guidance of Dr. Gautam V. Soni, have demonstrated that the Cas9 enzymes strongly bind to the target at very low temperatures and remains bound to the cleaved DNA products even after the enzyme has done its job. Subsequently, the bound products were released in a controlled fashion using high temperature or chemical denaturant (that make proteins and DNA lose their 3-dimensional structure and become non-functional).

The research published in the Scientific Reports journal of the Nature Portfolio expands possible application of the Cas9-based genetic toolbox to a previously unexplored temperature range that would be compatible with long-term storage of biological samples.

Their observations on high efficiency of Cas9 binding to target at very low temperatures also provide opportunities to edit genomes of the less explored organisms called cryophiles with an optimal growth temperature of 15°C. The results on Cas9-DNA binding and release mechanics will provide valuable insights for developing temperature-dependent applications of the CRISPR-Cas9 technology. It also builds a quantitative understanding of product release mechanism of this enzyme system.

3-May-2019: CRISPR Anti-Venom

When you think 'venom', it's usually snake fangs that come to mind. But the most powerful venom in the world actually belongs to a species of box jellyfish, and now CRISPR gene editing technology has been used to create an antidote for it.

Box jellyfish are common in waters around Asia and Australia. The fact that they are so very transparent makes these near-invisible water animals hard to spot unless you're looking specifically for them. Their tentacles produce nematocysts, a toxin that sends the blood pressure of its victims sky-high if the sting isn't neutralized with an antidote in the first 20 minutes or so.

Chironex fleckeri is among the deadliest box jellyfish species, with an explosive sting that causes cardiac arrest in humans. Scientists are still unsure exactly how its venom works. But a team of researchers has managed to develop an antidote to block its venom using the powerful gene-editing tool CRISPR.

CRISPR is a versatile tool that can be used to make precise edits to DNA in any living creature. The team was able to modify human DNA in these cells by turning a set of four genes off, after which the jellyfish venom was useless against it.

The genes were all part of a pathway the body uses to regulate cholesterol. These genes are what makes the box jellyfish venom so deadly and capable of destroying cells.

The drug is known to work by pulling cholesterol out of the cell membrane, so we think the jellyfish venom needs membrane cholesterol to exert its effect. By shutting down this pathway for a short period of time, we can shut down the venom death pathway.

Interestingly, there were some cholesterol drugs that were effective against the venom too, for upto 15 minutes after a poisonous sting. The drug, cyclodextrin, is already tested safe for humans, cheap and readily available. It stops tissue death, scarring and pain completely when applied on the skin. But further studies will still need to be done to find out whether if it also stops a heart attack.

The team hopes to turn their discovery into a topical application of some kind that can be used soon after a box jellyfish sting. They also want to explore how a cardiac injection of the antivenom would work in an emergency room if the box jellyfish sting case is really severe.

3-Apr-2019: Scientists create the world’s first gene-edited lizards

A group of University of Georgia researchers led by geneticist Douglas Menke has become the first in the world to successfully produce a genetically modified reptile—specifically, four albino lizards—using the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing tool.

Reptiles are very understudied in terms of their reproductive biology and embryonic development,” said Menke, associate professor in the department of genetics. “There are no good methods to manipulate embryos like we can easily do with mammals, fish or amphibians. To our knowledge, no other lab in the world has produced a genetically altered reptile.”

Gene manipulation using CRISPR typically involves injecting gene-editing solutions into an animal’s newly fertilized egg or single-cell embryo, causing a mutation in the DNA that is reproduced in all subsequent cells. However female reptiles can store sperm in their oviducts for long periods, making it difficult to pinpoint the exact moment of fertilization. Also, the physiology of their fertilized eggs, which have pliable shells with no air space inside, presents challenges for manipulating embryos without damaging them.

Working with the species Anolis sagrei, commonly called the brown anole, Menke’s team overcame these challenges by microinjecting CRISPR proteins into multiple immature eggs, or oocytes, still located in the lizards’ ovaries. Targeting the tyrosinase gene, they successfully injected 146 oocytes from 21 lizards, then waited for the oocytes to be fertilized naturally. Within a few weeks, they realized their goal: four offspring displaying the telltale trait of albinism, which results when tyrosinase is inactivated.

Menke, who typically studies mice, said he chose brown anoles because they essentially represent a reptilian counterpart to Darwin’s famous Galapagos finches—the lizards are spread throughout the islands of the Caribbean, with distinctive traits arising among each island’s relatively isolated population. Leg size, for example, is highly variable among different species of anoles, with ground-dwelling species possessing big and strong legs adapted to running and leaping, while their tree-dwelling cousins have smaller legs that are more agile for limb-hopping. T

The ability to study the genes of brown anoles could also have implications for human genetics work. The tyrosinase gene is required for certain aspects of eye development shared between humans and anoles, but absent in the eyes of mice and other organisms commonly used for biomedical research. Researchers looking to explore ways to manipulate this gene for human ocular health did not have a suitable animal model—until now.

As an added bonus, Menke’s team noted that the mutant anoles not only displayed the manipulated tyrosinase in the gene copies inherited from their mother, but from the father as well. This means that the CRISPR reagent likely remained active in the mother’s oocytes much longer than anticipated and mutated the paternal genes post-fertilization.

It enabled us to see the functional requirements of the gene without having to breed mutated animals to produce offspring who inherit the mutated gene from both parents. It’s a big time-saver.

This work could have far-reaching impact not only for the study of reptile genetics but also for the advancement of genomic medicine and application in humans.

24-Jan-2018: Indian scientists use CRISPR to edit banana genome

India is a largest producer of banana globally. It is the fourth most important food crop after wheat, rice and corn in terms of gross value of production. Now Indian scientists have used latest gene editing techniques to modify the banana genome, for the first time.

The use of gene editing technique - CRISPR/Cas9 - in banana could serve as a useful tool that can be deployed for improving nutritional quality, agronomical important traits as well as pathogen resistance in banana.

The research has been done by a group of Indian researchers at the National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute, Mohali. This is the first ever research study published on genome editing in any fruit crops from India.

The CRISPR/Cas9 technology lets scientists remove or replace specific parts of DNA with precision. CRISPR stands for “Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats” which basically finds the target DNA. Associated with it is Cas9 which Stands for “CRISPR Associated protein 9” which is basically a endonuclease or a sort of biological scissors which edit DNA accurately.

Using this technique, researchers created mutation in an enzyme - phytoene desaturase (RAS-PDS) of banana variety called Rasthali. They first isolated two genes in this enzyme - RAS-PDS1 and RAS-PDS2 - and confirmed enzyme activity using protein sequence analysis. Then a guide RNA was used to target conserved region of the two genes, and later transferred them in embryogenic cell cultures of Rasthali. DNA sequencing of plants thus generated confirmed 59% mutation frequency in the genes which were ‘edited’. These mutations caused premature termination of protein synthesis. Decreased chlorophyll and total carotenoid contents were detected in mutant lines, indicating that functions of the genes were disrupted.

Scientists are eager to exploit the genome editing tool for development of nutritionally improved transgene-free Indian banana variety. The selected events of the biofortified banana crop would be analyzed for nutritional, bioavailability and agronomical performance with the appropriate collaborative efforts.

This approach for development of a non-transgenic variety of banana could be more beneficial in addressing regulatory and biosafety challenges for commercial cultivation of genetically improved banana crop.

The research group is focused on metabolic engineering of staple crops like banana and wheat for nutritional enrichment. Most of the staple food crops consumed in developing countries are insufficient to meet minimum nutritional requirements. As a result, vitamin A deficiency remains prevalent in many developing countries. Keeping this in mind, we started our research on the pro-vitamin A (beta-carotene) biofortification of banana as a promising, cost-effective and sustainable approach. The project is funded by Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC).

Feb-1-2017: New TB-resistant cows developed in China.

Researchers from China have successfully utilized an innovative form of the genome-editing technique CRISPR to insert a new gene into the cow genome, rendering the animals much more resistant to tuberculosis. Researchers used a novel version of the CRISPR system called CRISPR/Cas9n to successfully insert a tuberculosis resistance gene into the cow genome.

In this study, the investigators inserted the NRAMP1 gene into the genome of bovine fetal fibroblasts—cells derived from female dairy cows—using the CRISPR/Cas9n technology. These cells were then used as donor cells in a process called somatic cell nuclear transfer (therapeutic cloning), where the nucleus of a donor cell carrying the new gene is inserted into an egg cell, known as an ovum, from a female cow. Next, the ova were nurtured in the lab into embryos before being transferred into mother cows for a normal pregnancy cycle. As a control, the experiments were also conducted using the standard CRISPR/Cas9 technology as a comparison. A total of 11 calves with new genes inserted using CRISPR were able to be assessed for resistance to tuberculosis and any off-target genetic effects.

Genetic analysis of the calves revealed that NRAMP1 had successfully integrated into the genetic code at the targeted region in all of the calves. None of the calves that had the gene inserted using the new CRISPR/Cas9n technology had any detectable off-target effects, whereas all of the calves with the gene inserted with previously used techniques for CRISPR/Cas9 did. Remarkably, when the calves were exposed to Mycobacterium bovis, the bacterium that causes bovine tuberculosis, the researchers found that transgenic animals showed an increased resistance to the bacterium measured by standard markers of infection in a blood sample. Additionally, they found that white blood cells taken from the calves were much more resistant to M. bovis exposure in laboratory tests.