ETH Zurich CRISPR Transcriptional Recording Patent B2
Summary
The USPTO granted patent US12595468B2 to ETH Zurich for a method of recording a cell's transcriptome using CRISPR spacer acquisition from RNA. The invention involves a reverse transcriptase-Cas1 fusion protein and Cas2 polypeptide under inducible promoter control, enabling temporal recording of gene expression patterns. The patent lists Randall Jeffrey Platt and Florian Schmidt as inventors and contains 8 claims.
What changed
The USPTO issued a patent grant (Kind B2) for ETH Zurich's CRISPR-based transcriptional recording method. The invention enables cells to record their transcriptome history by exploiting CRISPR spacer acquisition machinery (RT-Cas1-Cas2 complex) to capture RNA-derived spacers into the genome, providing a molecular memory of gene expression over time.
For biotechnology companies and research institutions working with CRISPR systems, this patent establishes IP rights over methods for converting RNA signals into heritable genomic recordings. Companies developing gene expression profiling tools, synthetic biology circuits, or cell state monitoring systems may need to consider licensing implications or design-around strategies to avoid claims covering the specified CRISPR recording architecture.
What to do next
- Monitor for potential licensing opportunities if conducting CRISPR-based transcriptional recording research
- Review patent claims for freedom-to-operate considerations in gene expression analysis applications
- Assess potential infringement implications if developing similar CRISPR recording technologies
Archived snapshot
Apr 7, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Transcriptional recording by CRISPR spacer acquisition from RNA
Grant US12595468B2 Kind: B2 Apr 07, 2026
Assignee
ETH ZÜRICH
Inventors
Randall Jeffrey Platt, Florian Schmidt
Abstract
The present invention relates to a method for recording a transcriptome of a cell by: providing a test cell that includes a first transgene nucleic acid sequence encoding a fusion protein that is a reverse transcriptase polypeptide and a Cas1 polypeptide and a second transgene nucleic acid sequence encoding a Cas2 polypeptide, wherein the first transgene nucleic acid sequence and the second transgene nucleic acid sequence are under transcriptional control of an inducible promoter sequence, and a third transgene nucleic acid sequence including a CRISPR direct repeat (DR) sequence; wherein the CRISPR direct repeat sequence is specifically recognizable by a RT-Cas1-Cas2 complex formed by the expression products of the first transgene nucleic acid sequence and the second transgene nucleic acid sequence.
CPC Classifications
C12N 9/22 C12N 15/11 C12N 15/62 C12N 2310/20 C12N 2800/22 C12N 2800/80 C12N 15/102 C12N 9/1276 C12N 15/70 C12Q 1/6806 C12Q 1/6869 C12Q 1/6883 C12Q 2521/107 C12Q 2521/301 C07K 2319/00
Filing Date
2019-09-11
Application No.
17274443
Claims
8
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