CSIR-CDRI transfers technology of a nucleic acid staining ‘dye GreenR’

New Delhi: Lucknow based Central Drug Research Institute (CSIR-CDRI) has transferred its nucleic acid staining technology, dye GreenR^™ to GenetoProtein, a start-up company registered in Uttar Pradesh.

The dye GreenR^™ has been developed by CDRI Senior Principal Scientist, Dr. Atul Goel in joint collaboration with an industry partner Biotech Desk, Hyderabad.

Dr. Goel informed that the product GreenR^™ provides an economical alternative to commercially available dyes that are used to stain DNA/RNA, which are currently imported.  It binds to all nucleic acids including genomic DNA, PCR products, plasmids and RNA and fluoresces under blue light or UV exposure. This dye has varied applications in molecular diagnostics and life sciences research.

The chemical synthesis of GreenR^™ was standardized by Dr. Goel’s team comprising of Ms. Shaziya Parveen and Mr. Kundan Singh Rawat and the BDPL team has studied its biological applications in real time PCR and DNA binding.

Dr. Shradha Goenka, Director of GenetoProtein informed that the company plans to launch the Go GreenR^™ campaign in which she will urge scientists all over India to replace the use of mutagenic Ethidium bromide with the GreenR^™ dye which is safe to use and easy to dispose.

The company has already started sampling this product amongst researchers both in the academia and the industry. She is happy to announce that this product has received a positive response with the researchers already sending their purchase requests.

The director CSIR-CDRI, Dr. Srinivasa Reddy informed that over the past five years, the most popular DNA dye SYBR green contributed to significant number of import in this sector.

The development of this indigenous dye will offer the Indian researcher an alternative to expensive imported dyes made by foreign MNCs.