BharatNotes Gene editing
noun (uncountable); also attributive adjective: 'gene-editing technology'Usage in a UPSC answer
India's progressive regulatory decision to treat SDN-1 and SDN-2 gene-edited crops as equivalent to conventionally bred varieties — rather than imposing the full GMO approval pathway — could compress the development-to-release timeline for climate-adaptive seed varieties from a decade to three or four years.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word Family
gene editing (n), gene editor (n), gene-edited (adj), genome editing (n, broader), gene therapy (n, related), gene drive (n), genetically modified (adj, related but distinct)
Root
Old English gen (shortening of gene, from German Gen, coined by Wilhelm Johannsen 1909, from Greek genos = race, birth, kind); Latin edere = to put out, to give out (source of edit, to revise/correct a text)
Etymology
The word gene was coined by Danish botanist Wilhelm Johannsen in 1909 from the Greek genos ('race, origin'). The 'editing' metaphor — treating DNA as a text that can be revised — emerged in molecular biology literature in the 1990s as early site-directed mutagenesis tools developed, and became standard with CRISPR from 2012.
Memory Hook
GENE (unit of heredity) + EDITING (like editing a text document): scientists find-and-replace a faulty DNA 'word' in the genome's 'manuscript'. CRISPR is the cursor, the guide RNA is the 'Find' function, and Cas9 is the Delete/Insert key. The Nobel Prize 2020 (Doudna + Charpentier) is the exam anchor.
Seen in UPSC Question Papers
- Prelims 2019 — Biotechnology
- Prelims 2019 — Biotechnology
Real UPSC previous-year questions whose text uses “Gene editing” — proof this word earns its place on your list.
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