Transcription activator-like effector nuclease

Transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) are a type of engineered protein used for targeted genome editing. TALENs are derived from naturally occurring proteins found in certain plant pathogenic bacteria, such as *Xanthomonas*. These proteins have the ability to bind to specific DNA sequences and can be custom-designed to target virtually any sequence of interest in the genome.