Sunday Evening News 430 - Week 26 - 2025
Weekly report on genetic engineering, genome editing, biotechnology and legal regulation.
June 2025-06-23 - June 2025-06-29
Am 01.Juli 23025 beginnt die die dänische Ratspräsidentschaft und sie muss sich weiter um den Trilog zur Regulierung genomeditierter Pflanzen kümmern.
Council of the European Union Danish Presidency July - December 2025
https://danish-presidency.consilium.europa.eu/en/
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/de/press/press-releases/2025/06/20/forward-look-2025/
Unter der polnischen Ratspräsidentschaft konnte der Trilog nicht erfolgreich beendet werden, da sich die Institutionen nicht auf einen Konsens/Kompromiss einigen konnten und daher letzte Meeting für den 30. Juli 2025 abgesagt wurde. Betrachtet man die offenen Punkte, die vorangegangen langwierigen Verhandlungen und die fehlende Kompromissbereitschaft von Parlament und Rat kann man nur hoffen, dass das Gesetzesvorhaben zur Regulierung genomeditierter Pflanzen nicht scheitertet.
Hauptpunkte der Uneinigkeit zwischen Rat und Parlament:
- Kriterien zur Einstufung von NGT-1-Pflanzen und Nachhaltigkeitsmerkmale von NGT-1-Pflanzen
- Kennzeichnung und Rückverfolgbarkeit entlang der Kette für NGT-1-Pflanzen und deren Produkte
- Opt-out-Möglichkeiten bei NGT-2-Pflanzen
- Patente bei NGT-Pflanzen
Vergleiche hierzu auch: https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-9879-2025-INIT/en/pdf
sowie die Pressemeldungen von Informationsdienst Gentechnik und GM-Watch.
EFSA: Call for expressions of interest for the position of member of EFSA's Management Board
https://food.ec.europa.eu/horizontal-topics/calls-expression-interest/efsa-management-board-2025_en
Meetings – Conferences / Treffen - Veranstaltungen
The Expert Working Group on Wheat Breeding Methods and Strategies invites you to join their webinar!
Dr. Jessie Alt will discuss theoretical and practical implications on wheat breeding at Corteva.
11th of July 2025, 10:00 AM CDT (Chicago time, USA),8:00 AM PDT (Los Angeles, USA)
6:00 PM CET (Berlin, Germany), 1:30 AM ACST (Adelaide, Australia)
Press Releases - Media / Presse- und Medienberichte
Allgemein – Generell
EU-Commission: Annual Activity Report 2024
Sustainable development in the European Union
EC: Shaping the future of food research and innovation
https://foodsafetyplatform.eu/knowledge/reports/shaping-the-futureof-food-research-and-innovation/
Results of the Polish Presidency by Council Configuration
https://polish-presidency.consilium.europa.eu/en/programme/results-by-council-configuration/
Annual Report: SUSTAINABLE PESTICIDE MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK (SPMF) 2024
https://croplife.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/SPMF-Annual-Report-2024.pdf?v=1750432726
New GMOs Market Report
https://www.enga.org/fileadmin/user_upload/New_GMOs_Market-report-2025.pdf
Review 586: Glyphosate – Legal and Political Developments
https://mailchi.mp/gmwatch.org/review-586-glyphosate-legal-and-political-developments?e=ca15334802
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Informationsdienst Gentechnik: Trilog zur neuen Gentechnik: Das Schweigen des Ministers
https://www.keine-gentechnik.de/nachricht/trilog-zur-neuen-gentechnik-das-schweigen-des-ministers
AbL : Einschränkung von Biopatenten für Züchtung und Landwirtschaft dringend geboten
VLOG: Umfrage: Agrarminister Rainer soll sich für Gentechnik-Kennzeichnung einsetzen
Ragginer N.M: Kampf um Kennzeichnung
https://salto.bz/de/article/27062025/ngt
Selby G.: VLOG survey urges continued use of full genetic engineering labeling in food
https://www.foodingredientsfirst.com/news/genetic-engineering-food-labeling.html
GM Watch: Negotiations stall on EU GMO deregulation proposal
Pacillo L.: Why regulations in plant gene editing are a must
https://phys.org/news/2025-06-gene.html
AOL calls for the 'deregulation' of GM foods to be rejected
Schramm J.: Future proofing crops: Can gene editing tackle food security?
https://www.securities.io/future-proofing-crops-gene-editing/
Morrison O.: CropLife CEO demands ‘consistent’ policy on genome editing to boost productivity Opens in new window
Food Safety Magazine Editorial Team: FSANZ Proposes Updated Definitions for Genetically Modified Food
Proposal P1055 - Definitions for gene technology and new breeding techniques
Only some selected press releases or media reports are listed here. The daily up-date of the press releases and
media reports are ►here: June, week 26
Publications – Publikationen
Purnhagen, K.P., Wesseler, J.H.H. (2025). Precaution and the Precautionary Principle: A View on the EU – The Example of
Modern Biotechnology. In: Marciano, A., Ramello, G.B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Law and Economics. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7883-6_835-1
The precautionary principle is a general principle of Union law and part of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The precautionary principle holds a prominent position in EU secondary regulations related to GMOs. However, when it comes to interpretation of this principle, it is often observed that it is construed in a manner that blurs the delicate distinction between the precautionary principle and the principle that preventive action will be taken. This tendency puts the integrity of the precautionary approach, which serves as the foundational basis of the precautionary principle, at risk. This entry highlights the differences between a precautionary approach and the precautionary principle in EU law and the implications this has for the debates on GMOs. The economic rationale for a precautionary approach underpinning the precautionary principle will be presented and the misunderstandings and misuses discussed.
https://link.springer.com/rwe/10.1007/978-1-4614-7883-6_835-1
Ivanov, M., Buddle, E.A. and Ankeny, R.A. (2025): Regulation as key to fulfilling the promises of agricultural genomics:
Going beyond bottlenecks in plant gene technology development. Plant J, 122: e70277. https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.70277
The development of new gene technologies including gene editing has reinvigorated long-standing global debates about if and how such technologies should be regulated. Many scientists working in agricultural genomics believe that current regulatory approaches are problematic, often emphasizing that the regulatory system is merely a ‘bottleneck’ that limits research and innovation in crop sciences. The concept of a ‘bottleneck’ is prominent in discussions in this domain, but we contend that what counts as a ‘bottleneck’ depends on point of view and the interests and goals of the party that wishes to describe a particular situation as bottlenecked. In this Focused Review, we provide a short account of recent scholarship on gene editing regulation and argue that regulation is an important part of the research development and innovation process that should not merely be viewed as a ‘bottleneck.’ Regulation permits regulators and diverse publics to engage with research and assess whether the particular application of gene technology is desirable and beneficial beyond the laboratory bench or field. We conclude by providing lessons for scientists working in agricultural genomics, emphasizing the need to move away from visions of ‘bottlenecks’ and embracing regulation's potential to support the promises associated with agricultural genomics.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/tpj.70277
Henderson, K., Kemper, J., Lang, B., Conroy, D., & Frethey-Bentham, C. (2025): Threat or opportunity? A stakeholder
perspective on country of origin brand and promoting gene edited foods. Journal of Strategic Marketing, 1–18. | https://doi.org/10.1080/0965254X.2025.2519004
Gene editing technologies could address critical challenges in the food system by producing gene edited foods (GEFs) with enhanced nutrition and climate resilient traits. Despite this potential, support for novel GEFs from stakeholders involved in their development, commercialisation, and marketing, remains uncertain. This research investigates the role of country of origin (COO) branding in promoting GEFs as sustainable food products. Through 28 interviews with New Zealand (NZ) agri-food industry stakeholders, we identify three key themes, 1) Perceptions of GEFs and NZ’s COO brand, 2) Inconsistency and incoherency in COO, and 3) Co-creating an adapted and repositioned COO. Findings reveal that stakeholders viewed the misalignment of New Zealand’s COO brand, often associated with ‘natural’ and ‘sustainable’, as a threat (brand damage) or as an opportunity (brand repositioning). This study provides new insights into branding dynamics by uncovering responses to incoherences created by GEFs within a well-established COO brand. It also offers valuable insights for stakeholders and marketing practitioners on the use of COO branding for sustainable foods.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0965254X.2025.2519004?src=exp-la#abstract
Kambampati, S.; Verma, P.K.; Janga, M.R.(2025): Plant Transformation and Genome Editing for Precise Synthetic Biology
Applications. SynBio 3, 9. https://doi.org/10.3390/synbio3030009
Synthetic biology (SynBio) is an emerging interdisciplinary field that applies engineering principles to the design and construction of novel biological systems or the redesign of existing natural systems for new functions. As autotrophs with complex cellular architectures, plants possess inherent capabilities to serve as “living factories” for SynBio applications. Recent advancements in genetic engineering, genome editing, and transformation techniques are improving the precision and programmability of plant systems. Innovations, such as CRISPR systems, prime editing strategies, and in planta and nanoparticle-mediated delivery, are expanding the SynBio toolkit for plants. However, the efficient delivery of genetic constructs remains a barrier due to plant systems’ complexity. To address these limitations, SynBio is increasingly integrating iterative Design–Build–Test–Learn (DBTL) cycles, standardization, modular DNA assembly systems, and plant-optimized toolkits to enable predictable trait engineering. This review explores the technological foundations of plant SynBio, including genome editing and transformation methods, and examines their integration into engineered systems. Applications, such as biofuel production, pharmaceutical biosynthesis, and agricultural innovation, are highlighted, along with their ethical, technical, and regulatory challenges. Ultimately, SynBio could offer a transformative path toward sustainable solutions, provided it continues to align technological advances with public interest and global sustainability goals.
https://www.mdpi.com/2674-0583/3/3/9
Das, P., Dutta, A. & Das, A. (2025): CRISPR/Cas9 Applications for Nutritional Enhancement in Major Oilseed, Vegetable,
and Cereal Crops: A Comprehensive Review. Plant Mol Biol Rep | https://doi.org/10.1007/s11105-025-01592-4
To sustain the growing human population, achieving global food security through accessible, nutritious food is imperative to combat nutritional deficiencies and promote improved health. Agricultural research is increasingly focusing on enhancing the nutritional attributes of food crops. Surpassing conventional breeding, transgenic approaches, and first-generation genome editing technologies like ZFNs and TALENs, CRISPR/Cas9 has emerged in the last decade as a breakthrough in this field. In recent years, crop improvement attempts by various groups employing this technology have showcased its high efficiency, ease of use, cost-effectiveness, and specificity to generate curated alterations in target genes mediating the nutritional enhancement of food crops. Stable inheritance of the resulting elite traits in the advanced generations has also been reported validating its wide applicability. This review summarises CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing performed on major oilseed, vegetable, and cereal crops to enhance their nutritional attributes. Additionally, limitations to overcome in future, current regulatory status, and future perspectives to tap out the maximum potential of this versatile technology have also been discussed.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11105-025-01592-4
Schrader, G., König, S., Fornefeld, E. et al. (2025): New crops: new pests and pathogens—emerging diseases due to
intensification of cultivation using the case of hemp, quinoa, and ginger in Germany. J Plant Dis Prot 132, 110 https://doi.org/10.1007/s41348-025-01104-2
This review discusses important pests and pathogens that could be associated with the cultivation of new crops in Germany, focusing on quinoa, cannabis, and ginger. As Germany diversifies its agricultural landscape, these crops are gaining popularity due to various factors such as nutritional value, medicinal and recreational uses, and culinary enrichment. The paper highlights the potential risks of introducing and spreading new organisms along with these crops. For quinoa, the main concerns are the oomycete Peronospora variabilis and insect pests such as the moth Eurysacca melanocampta and cutworms. Regarding cannabis, the main pathway for pathogens lies in seed imports, particularly for viruses and viroids. Ginger, typically a tropical crop, is being adapted for greenhouse cultivation in Germany and carries the risk of introducing fungi and bacteria of plant health concern. The objectives of the study are to raise awareness about pest risks, identify specific pathogens and pests associated with each crop, and propose management strategies. The research methodology involved compiling data from literature reviews and databases such as the EPPO Global Database and CABI Crop Protection Compendium. The study emphasises the importance of understanding and managing the ecological and economic impact of cultivating these non-native crops, as some pathogens may remain undetected during initial inspections and could potentially spread to other agricultural systems.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41348-025-01104-2
Narushima J., Yoshiba S., Hosokawa A.et al. (2025): Determination of Transgenes in Crops by a Strategy Combining Cas9
Targeting with Amplification-Free Long-Read Nanopore Sequencing. ACS Agricultural Science & Technology 5 (6), 1168-1177 DOI: 10.1021/acsagscitech.5c00175
Considering any transgene in crops generated through genetic engineering is a potential safety concern, reliable methods for detecting transgenes are needed. Although whole-genome sequencing (WGS) using next-generation sequencing technology is a promising method for comprehensively detecting transgenes, its utility depends on the production of large amounts of sequencing data. Transgene enrichment may address this issue. We herein propose a strategy that combines amplification-free long-read nanopore sequencing with the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Specifically, the transgene is selectively enriched and analyzed by ligating an adapter after a target element of the transgene is cleaved by Cas9, which is followed by nanopore sequencing. In this study, we targeted three elements of transgenes frequently used to develop genetically modified (GM) and genome-edited (GE) crops. Our data showed that this strategy can detect transgenes more efficiently than WGS. Therefore, it may be useful in food safety assessment for GM and GE crops.
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsagscitech.5c00175
Qiao, JH., Zang, Y., Gao, Q. et al. (2025): Transgene- and tissue culture-free heritable genome editing using RNA virus-
based delivery in wheat. Nat. Plants | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-025-02023-8
CRISPR–Cas genome editing technology is a cutting-edge strategy for crop breeding. However, the delivery of genome-editing reagents remains to be a technological bottleneck in monocot plants1. Here we engineered barley yellow striate mosaic virus (BYSMV) into a negative-strand RNA virus-based vector system2 for delivery of both Cas9 and single guide RNA to achieve heritable gene editing in different wheat cultivars. We found that fusion of a mobile transfer RNA sequence3 to the Cas9 messenger RNA and single guide RNAs could deliver them into the growth points of axillary meristems to achieve gene editing before tiller generation. The resulting nascent tillers contained simultaneous mutations in the three homoeoalleles. Moreover, the progeny seedlings are virus-free and harbour bi-allelic or homozygous mutations. Given BYSMV infects 26 monocot species4, the BYSMV delivery system could have wide applicability for achieving highly efficient, non-transgenic and less genotype-dependent heritable genome editing, thereby facilitating genomic studies and crops breeding.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41477-025-02023-8
Singh, B. K., Hu H.-W., Macdonald C.A., Xiong C. (2025): Microbiome-facilitated plant nutrient acquisition.
Cell Host & Microbe, Volume 33, Issue 6, 869 - 881
Plants and microbiomes have co-evolved for millennia. Through this co-evolution, microbiomes have become essential for plant nutrient acquisition, which involves plant signaling, microbial sensing, and acquiring and sharing nutrients. In this review, we synthesize recent advancements in the complex associations of molecular, physiological, and eco-evolutionary mechanisms that underpin microbe-facilitated plant nutrient uptake. Focusing on emerging insights in plant-microbial communication and metabolic pathways, we evaluate potential opportunities to harness plant microbiomes to sustainably supply nutrients in agricultural and natural ecosystems. However, further progress is constrained by key knowledge gaps. We propose an amended conceptual framework for advancement that includes a holistic understanding of eco-evolutionary relationships with explicit consideration of signaling and sensing mechanisms. Finally, we argue that advancing fundamental science by utilizing emerging analytical approaches in an integrated way is critical to develop effective microbiome-informed tools that can enhance plant nutrient acquisition and promote long-term food security and environmental sustainability.
https://www.cell.com/cell-host-microbe/fulltext/S1931-3128(25)00184-2
Müller O:, Wefers D. (2025): Detailed insights into the oligo- and polymeric products formed by three recombinant
dextransucrases. Carbohydrate Research 555 109559 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carres.2025.109559
The water-soluble exopolysaccharide dextran can be produced from sucrose by various dextransucrases derived from lactic acid bacteria. Many of these enzymes and their corresponding dextrans have been described, but the initially formed products and the compounds which are elongated to dextrans have not been characterized in detail yet. Therefore, we studied the oligo- and polymeric products formed by recombinant dextransucrases from Ligilactobacillus animalis TMW 1.971 (LaniDSΔN), Limosilactobacillus reuteri TMW 1.106 (LreuDSΔN), and Steptococcus salivarius DSM 20560 (SSAL4550) from 0.25 M and 1.5 M sucrose solutions (with and without 1 M glucose) in detail. After incubation of the sucrose solutions, the enzymes mainly elongated sucrose with 1,6-linked glucose units. Erlose and leucrose were identified as additional low molecular weight compounds in the sucrose solutions, whereas glucose addition led to the predominant abundance of isomalto-oligosaccharides and kojibiose. HPSEC analysis demonstrated that glucose addition also influenced the molecular weight of the dextrans produced by LaniDSΔN and SSAL4550. To evaluate which products were used as an acceptor molecule for polysaccharide formation, the products obtained from endo-dextranase hydrolysis of borohydride reduced dextrans were isolated, characterized, and quantified. The quantification of glucitol-containing and theanderose-containing low molecular weight products demonstrated that sucrose and glucose are used as acceptors for dextran formation, whereas erlose or kojibiose are not elongated. At high glucose concentrations, glucose is mostly found at the non-reducing end of the dextran chain. Altogether, our findings provide detailed insights into the course of dextran formation by different dextransucrases.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0008621525001855?via%3Dihub
Ullah M., Naeem M., Vivian Andoh V., Nadeem Khan M. et al. (2025): Lactic Acid Bacteria as Biofactories: Mechanistic Insights,
Engineering Strategies, and Future Horizons for Heterologous Enzyme Expression. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c02311
Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) constitute a genetically heterogeneous group that is uniquely capable of converting soluble carbohydrates into lactic acid. Such LAB, with a long history of safe consumption in fermented foods, are considered food-grade microorganisms and are highly sought after for a variety of biotechnological applications. Due to their unique properties, LAB can be genetically engineered to produce industrially significant enzymes. LAB act as an expression host for these enzymes by combining already existing engineering systems with techniques such as CRISPR-Cas. This review outlines the progress achieved to date on genome manipulation methods for LAB engineering and future perspectives of genetic tools. These strategies contribute greatly to fully unleashing the potential of LAB, and we further elaborate on how genome editing tools can enhance the capacity of heterologous expression in LAB.
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c02311
Zhang S., Huang Y., Nachawati R., Huber P. et al. (2025): Pangenome Analysis of the Plant Pathogen Pseudomonas syringae
Reveals Unique Natural Products for Niche Adaptation. Angew Chem Int Ed 64 (25), e202503679, https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202503679
Pseudomonas syringae is a soil-dwelling bacterium that exhibits remarkable niche adaptability, and it is known for its devastating impact as a plant pathogen. This bacterium has an outstanding capability to produce a wide array of biologically active natural products. P. syringae coexists with amoebal predators and fungal strains, which drives the production of secondary metabolites for predator evasion in addition to niche adaptation. In this study, we conducted a broad pangenomic analysis of 18 taxonomically distinct P. syringae strains, leading to the identification of 231 biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs). Among these, nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) were particularly abundant, indicating their potential significance within this ecological context. We discovered and elucidated the structures of two novel classes of bioactive compounds, the syrilipamides and chlorosecimides. Furthermore, a bioinformatic analysis enabled the identification of an undescribed halogenase, SecA, essential for the chlorination of secimide A. We observed that syrilipamides and secimides and in particular mixtures thereof, exhibit amoebicidal activities. Additionally, secimides showed selective antifungal activity. These findings provide valuable insights into the ecological roles of P. syringae natural products and highlight their potential for biotechnological and therapeutic applications.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/anie.202503679
EFSA
FEZ Panel (2025): Safety evaluation of the food enzyme endo-1,4-β-xylanase from the non-genetically modified Trichoderma
citrinoviride strain X31. EFSA Journal, 23(6), e9482. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2025.9482
https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2025.9482