Publications – Publikationen

Zhang P., Ding Y, Rieseberg L.H.,Liu J. et al. (2025):  Ancient hybridization underlies tuberization and radiation of the potato

lineage. Cell 188, 1–17 | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2025.06.034

Interspecific hybridization may trigger species radiation by creating allele combinations and traits. Cultivated potato and its 107 wild relatives from the Petota lineage all share the distinctive trait of underground tubers, but the underlying mechanisms for tuberization and its relationship to extensive species diversification remain unclear. Through analyses of 128 genomes, including 88 haplotype-resolved genomes, we revealed that Petota is of ancient hybrid origin, with all members exhibiting stable mixed genomic ancestry, derived from the Etuberosum and Tomato lineages ca. 8–9 million years ago. Our functional experiments further validated the crucial roles of parental genes in tuberization, indicating that interspecific hybridization is a key driver of this innovative trait. This trait, along with the sorting and recombination of hybridization-derived polymorphisms, likely triggered the explosive species diversification of Petota by enabling occupation of broader ecological niches. These findings highlight how ancient hybridization fosters key innovation and drives subsequent species radiation.

https://www.cell.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0092-8674%2825%2900736-6

Li, G., An, L., Yang, W. et al. (2025):  Integrated biotechnological and AI innovations for crop improvement. Nature 643,

925–937 | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09122-8

Crops provide food, clothing and other important products for the global population. To meet the demands of a growing population, substantial improvements are required in crop yield, quality and production sustainability. However, these goals are constrained by various environmental factors and limited genetic resources. Overcoming these limitations requires a paradigm shift in crop improvement by fully leveraging natural genetic diversity alongside biotechnological approaches such as genome editing and the heterologous expression of designed proteins, coupled with multimodal data integration. In this Review, we provide an in-depth analysis of integrated uses of omics technologies, genome editing, protein design and high-throughput phenotyping, in crop improvement, supported by artificial intelligence-enabled tools. We discuss the emerging applications and current challenges of these technologies in crop improvement. Finally, we present a perspective on how elite alleles generated through these technologies can be incorporated into the genomes of existing and de novo domesticated crops, aided by a proposed artificial intelligence model. We suggest that integrating these technologies with agricultural practices will lead to a new revolution in crop improvement, contributing to global food security in a sustainable manner.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09122-8

Wang, M., Zhang, Z., Bedi, A.S. et al. (2025): A call for built-in biosecurity safeguards for generative AI tools.

Nat Biotechnol 43, 845–847 | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-025-02650-8

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41587-025-02650-8

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

Wu, J., Ma, S., Niu, J. et al. (2025): Genomics-driven discovery of superior alleles and genes for yellow rust resistance in

wheat. Nat Genet  | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-025-02259-2

Yellow rust (YR), caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, poses a significant threat to wheat production worldwide. Breeding resistant cultivars is crucial for managing this disease. However, our understanding of the genetic mechanisms underlying YR resistance remains fragmented. To address this, we conducted a comprehensive analysis with variome data from 2,191 wheat accessions worldwide and over 47,000 YR response records across several environments and pathogen races. Through genome-wide association studies, we established a landscape of 431 YR resistance loci, providing a rich resource for resistance gene deployment. Furthermore, we cloned genes corresponding to three resistance loci, namely Yr5x (effective against several P. striiformis f. sp. tritici races), Yr6/Pm5 (conferred resistance to two pathogen species) and YrKB (TaEDR2-B; conferring broad-spectrum rust resistance without yield penalty). These findings offer valuable insights into the genetic basis of YR resistance in wheat and lay the foundation for engineering wheat with durable disease resistance.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-025-02259-2#Abs1

Mehtab-Singh, Kaye, C., Kaur, R. and Singh, J. (2025): A highly efficient CRISPR-Cas9-based gene-editing system in oat

(Avena sativa L.). Plant Biotechnol. J. | https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.70146

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pbi.70146

Li M., Li Z., Long W., Chenyun Wang C. et al. (2025): A >7-Year Feeding Study on the Long-Term Effects of Genetically

Modified Maize Containing cry1Ab/cry2Aj and EPSPS Genes on Immune Status and Serum Metabolites in Two Generations of Cynomolgus Macaques. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry |DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.5c06423

A >7-year study was conducted using cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) to evaluate the long-term effects of genetically modified (GM) maize on the immune status and serum metabolic profile across two generations. The GM insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant maize line used carried the cry1Ab/cry2Aj and G10evo-EPSPS genes. The macaques were maintained on GM maize-based, non-GM maize-based, or normal diet for >7 years, and their offspring received the corresponding diet postweaning. Multigenerational analyses encompassed immunoglobulin profiles, cytokine networks, and serum metabolome characteristics to assess the potential impact of GM maize on immune system development and metabolic homeostasis. No statistically significant differences were observed in the majority of parameters between the GM-fed and control (non-GM and normal diet) groups. This longitudinal investigation provides substantial evidence for the metabolic equivalence and immunological compatibility of the GM maize formulation in cynomolgus macaques.

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c06423

Mutsami, C., ParlascaM., and Qaim M. (2025): Evolving Farm and Off-Farm Income Sources and Jobs in Rural Africa.

Journal of International Development 1–14 | https://doi.org/10.1002/jid.70010.

Livelihood sources in rural Africa are diverse and dynamic. Using recent primary survey data from four African countries—Kenya, Namibia, Tanzania and Zambia—we consider regions with different conditions related to climate, agroecology, infrastructure and nature conservation to analyse the role of various income sources for households and individuals. Although most rural households are involved in small-scale farming, we challenge the conventional notion that own agricultural activities still constitute the main source of income. On average, off-farm sources—including wage employment, self-employment, remittances, and transfers—account for 60% of total household income. The off-farm income share increases with total income, meaning that the poorest households are the ones most dependent on agriculture. These patterns are similar across all four countries. Most off-farm employment involves self-employed activities in small informal businesses. More lucrative formal employment opportunities are rare and mostly pursued by individuals with post-secondary education and training. Men are more likely to be involved in wage employment than women. Furthermore, individual social networks and access to road and market infrastructure are positively associated with off-farm employment. The important role of off-farm jobs for rural development should receive more policy attention. Larger investments into generating inclusive non-agricultural employment opportunities are needed.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jid.70010

EFSA

FEZ Panel (2025): Safety evaluation of the food enzyme asparaginase from the non-genetically modified Saccharomyces cerevisiae

strain ARY-2. EFSA Journal, 23(7), e9532. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2025.9532

https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2025.9532