Sunday Evening News 440 - Week 36 - 2025
Weekly report on genetic engineering, genome editing, biotechnology and legal regulation.
September 2025-09-01 - September 2025-09-07
Meetings – Conferences / Treffen - Veranstaltungen
TROPENTAG 2025 - hybrid conference
Bonn, Germany, September 10-12
BioKI – jetzt für die Konferenz registrieren!
BioKI – KI als Katalysator für die Bioökonomie: Dieses Thema steht am 10. November im Mittelpunkt der Konferenz, die im Bundesministerium für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt stattfindet. Die kostenlose Registrierung startet heute
https://biooekonomie.de/nachrichten/neues-aus-der-biooekonomie/bioki-jetzt-fuer-die-konferenz-registrierenDies ist Absatztext.
Weitere Informationen zur Anmeldung/Registrierung und Programm erfolgen in Kürze.
Press Releases - Media / Presse- und Medienberichte
EFSA: Nikolaus Kriz assumes role as EFSA’s new Executive Director
https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/news/nikolaus-kriz-assumes-role-efsas-new-executive-director
Der Steirer, der über Europas Lebensmittel wacht
POINT NEWSLETTER NR. 278 – AUGUST 2025 - Aktuelle Biotechnologie
https://www.scienceindustries.ch/_file/38445/point-2025-08-278-d.pdf
DLG: Warum wir einen modernen Pflanzenschutz brauchen
Testbiotech: Erstmals Auftreten von Teosinte auf Feldern mit MON810
John Innes Centre: Model plant study reveals how protein clustering impacts gene regulation and epigenetic silencing
https://phys.org/news/2025-09-reveals-protein-clustering-impacts-gene.html
Escasura J,C.: Rethinking Policies: Do Strict GM Regulations Hold Us Back?
https://www.isaaa.org/blog/entry/default.asp?BlogDate=9/3/2025
Brookhaven National Laboratory: Biologists engineer larger, tougher crops for fuel, bioproducts
https://phys.org/news/2025-09-biologists-larger-tougher-crops-fuel.html
Only some selected press releases or media reports are listed here. The daily up-date of the press releases and
media reports are ►here: September week 36
Publications – Publikationen
Zhang H, Yao R, Jia Q, Qi S, He Y, Zhao J and Chuan L (2025): Innovative opportunities for gene editing technology in crop
breeding: from the perspective of literature analysis. Front. Plant Sci. 16:1636024. | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2025.1636024
Gene editing technology is a revolutionary biotechnology that has shown great potential and advantages in crop breeding. Current research has proposed many technical methods and design schemes for gene editing technology in crop breeding. However, summarization and analysis are often based on the research and application of a certain technology, lacking a literature content mining perspective to summarize and analyze the application of gene editing and other technologies in crop breeding. At the same time, there is insufficient identification of future research and innovation opportunities of gene editing technology in crop breeding. This study utilized natural language processing, deep learning, and generative topographic mapping (GTM) to conduct an in-depth analysis of the literature on gene editing technology in crop breeding from the perspective of literature mining. Key technical terms in this field were identified, a literature technical map was constructed, technical blank points were identified, and innovative opportunities for blank technology combinations were analyzed. The results showed that from the literature data from 2020 to 2024, 13 technology combinations were identified. These technical contents cover the multi-technology combination strategy of molecular genetic research, the core technology of gene function research in molecular genetics of biotic and abiotic stresses, the technical means of analyzing the molecular mechanisms of stress resistance, the technical scheme of genetic improvement, etc., which provide support for revealing the potential technological innovation opportunities of gene editing technology in the field of crop breeding. This study can scientifically, objectively, and efficiently identify technological innovation opportunities from the literature. Based on the research results, future research should carry out experimental research and application exploration so as to support the application and technological innovation of gene editing technology in crop breeding.
Valizadeh N., Shobeir Karami S. (2025): The decision to purchase genome edited food products by Iranian consumers:
theory of planned behavior as a social intervention tool, Front. Genome Ed, Sec. Genome Editing in Plants Volume 7 - 2025 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fgeed.2025.1483510
The main aim of present study was to analyze the consumers’ preferences about genome/gene-edited food products in Iran. For this purpose, an extended version of the theory of planned behavior was used as a social intervention tool. The theory of planned behavior was firstly extended using the introduction and new variable of trust in gene-edited products and perceived benefits of gene-edited food products, but in the next step, it was also analyzed statistically. To achieve the main objective of the research, a representative sample was selected from the population of purchasers of gene-edited products, and data were collected using a cross-sectional survey. The validity and reliability of the data collection tool was evaluated and confirmed using different quantitative and qualitative methods in the pilot stages and after the main survey. The results of structural equation modeling showed that the attitude towards gene-edited food products, perceived behavioral control, and the subjective norms of gene-edited products had positive and significant effects on the intention to purchase these products. The results of the study indicated that two newly introduced variables to the theory of planned behavior, namely, trust in gene-edited products and the perceived benefits of gene-edited products also had positive and significant effects on the intention to purchase these products. Based on the results, the framework employed and extended in this study can provide the basis for effective interventions to improve consumers’ preference for gene-edited food products. Also, some practical suggestions were provided for policymakers, managers, and producers of these products.
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genome-editing/articles/10.3389/fgeed.2025.1483510/full
Peri, I., Consentino, F., Grasso, A. et al. (2025): Integrating societal concern into an EU regulatory proposal for new genomic
techniques in food crops using association rules. Agric & Food Secur 14, 18 | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40066-025-00539-y
Ensuring global food security is an increasingly complex challenge, prompting researchers and the agri-food industry to explore biotechnological solutions. Over the past decade, New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) have transformed plant breeding by enhancing yields, disease resistance, and climate adaptability. Despite these innovations, NGTs remain regulated under the same framework as Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), while the European Union (EU) seeks to establish an alternative regulatory approach. Advances in agricultural biotechnology present complex challenges, involving a wide range of stakeholders, conflicting opinions, and vast amounts of information. As part of the regulatory review process for NGTs, the European Commission (EC) launched a public consultation in 2022 to support the revision of existing regulations. This study applies Association Rule Mining (ARM) to analyze the consultation’s key concerns and policy preferences. Stakeholders—including industry representatives, environmental organizations, scientists, and citizens—have voiced differing opinions. ARM enables the identification of recurring patterns in their responses, highlighting three key themes: sustainability, risk assessment, and transparency. Some consider sustainability an inherent advantage of NGTs, while others view it as irrelevant or as a justification for stricter regulations. Risk assessment and transparency are widely recognized as essential but approached differently—some downplay their importance, while others advocate for more stringent oversight. Additionally, a strategic neutral stance emerges, with certain stakeholders prioritizing risk assessment and transparency without expressing a position on sustainability. The new sustainability-driven regulatory framework may face resistance from those demanding more in-depth evaluations before recognizing NGTs as a sustainable solution. Finally, this paper discusses critical issues related to public consultation processes, highlighting challenges and opportunities in shaping an inclusive and effective regulatory framework.
https://agricultureandfoodsecurity.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40066-025-00539-y
Mundorf J., Simon S., Engelhard M. (2025): The European Commission’s Regulatory Proposal on New Genomic Techniques
in Plants: A Focus on Equivalence, Complexity, and Artificial Intelligence.
The European Commission has proposed to amend the EU GMO regulation, exempting certain genetically modified plants generated with new genomic techniques (NGTs) from risk assessment. In the suggested lex specialis so-called “category 1 NGT plants” would be treated as equivalent to conventionally bred plants, if they meet threshold-based criteria, which limit the number and size of induced genetic changes. Here, we critically analyze the scientific validity of these thresholds and show that the proposal oversimplifies genetic complexity – disregarding the biological context, mutational bias, and functional consequences. The proposal’s central claim of equivalence between NGT1 plants and conventionally bred plants is thus scientifically unfounded. Many conceivable genetic modifications produced with NGTs – including those created with CRISPR prime editing and AI-assisted design – could be highly complex and exceed the capabilities of conventional breeding. Nevertheless, the regulatory proposal treats all possible genetic changes as equally likely and overlooks the purpose and function of genetic edits. By eliminating case-by-case risk assessment, the proposal creates a regulatory gap that allows complex and novel traits to bypass scrutiny – undermining the EU’s legally binding precautionary principle. In contrast, a risk-based regulatory approach is needed to ensure safe and future-proof oversight of NGT plants.
https://www.preprints.org/frontend/manuscript/ccbb6ed973dbe413aa271b02ffa3a81b/download_pub
Schulten A., Jang G.-J., Payne-Dwyer A., Bienz M. et al (2025): VEL-dependent polymerization maintains the chromatin
association of Polycomb proteins for the switch to epigenetic silencing, Molecular Cell 85 (17), 3321 - 3332.e5 (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2025.08.002
Multivalent protein-chromatin interactions facilitated by higher-order protein assemblies are emerging as a crucial theme in eukaryotic gene regulation. However, understanding the underlying mechanisms in their functional context remains challenging. Arabidopsis VEL proteins assemble biomolecular condensates by head-to-tail polymerization. Here, we dissect the role of VEL polymerization domains in conferring the epigenetic switch to Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) silencing at Arabidopsis FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC). We show that VIN3 VEL polymerization produces higher-order nuclear VIN3 assemblies in vivo, which promote multivalent chromatin association and efficient H3K27me3 nucleation. VRN5 VEL polymerization, however, is not required unless a third homolog VEL1 is absent. The VRN5 VEL domain has different polymerization properties and is functionally unable to replace VIN3 VEL, but it is required to physically connect VIN3 with PRC2. This work reveals the combinatorial roles of VEL polymerization domains in maintaining the chromatin association of Polycomb proteins for the switch to epigenetic silencing.
Cheng, L., Bao, Z., Kong, Q. et al. (2025): Genome analyses and breeding of polyploid crops. Nat. Plants |
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-025-02088-5
Polyploidization is a common and important evolutionary process in the plant kingdom. Compared with diploid plant species, the intricate genome architecture of polyploid plant species presents substantial challenges in applying multi-omics approaches for crop breeding improvement. In this Review, we summarize the current techniques for analysing polyploid genomes, including constructing reference genomes and pan-genomes, and detecting variants. We also assess findings related to polyploid genome architecture, population genetics and breeding programmes, highlighting advanced techniques in the breeding of polyploid crops. Finally, we explore the challenges and demands posed by polyploid genome complexity during analysis with available biotechnological tools. This .Review emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive understanding of polyploid genomic features for the further genetic improvement of polyploid crops.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41477-025-02088-5
Creeth R. et al. (2025): DNA-free CRISPR genome editing in raspberry (Rubus idaeus) protoplast through RNP-mediated
transfection, Frontiers in Genome Editing |. DOI: 10.3389/fgeed.2025.1589431
Protoplast-based systems have been utilised in a wide variety of plant species to enable genome editing without chromosomal introgression of foreign DNA into plant genomes. DNA-free genome editing followed by protoplast regeneration allows elite cultivars to be edited without further genetic segregation, preserving their unique genetic composition and their regulatory status as non-transgenic. However, protoplast isolation presents a barrier to the development of advanced breeding technologies in raspberry and no protocol has been published for DNA-free genome editing in the species. Pre-assembled ribonucleoprotein complexes (RNPs) do not require cellular processing and the commercial availability of Cas9 proteins and synthetic guide RNAs has streamlined genome editing protocols. This study presents a novel high-yielding protoplast isolation protocol from raspberry stem cultures and RNP-mediated transfection of protoplast with CRISPR-Cas9. Targeted mutagenesis of the phytoene desaturase gene at two intragenic loci resulted in an editing efficiency of 19%, though estimated efficiency varied depending on the indel analysis technique. Only amplicon sequencing was sensitive enough to confirm genome editing in a low efficiency sample. To our knowledge, this study constitutes the first use of DNA-free genome editing in raspberry protoplast. This protocol provides a valuable platform for understanding gene function and facilitates the future development of precision breeding in this important soft fruit crop.
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genome-editing/articles/10.3389/fgeed.2025.1589431/full
Zhang H. et al. (2025): ZmMYB104 Enhances Heat-Stress Tolerance by Activating ZmCAT2 Expression in Maize.
Physiologica Plantarium| https://doi.org/10.1111/ppl.70478
Temperature fluctuations critically affect plant growth, but the molecular mechanisms that underlie heat-stress tolerance in maize (Zea mays L.) remain to be fully characterized. Here, we examined the role of the MYB transcription factor ZmMYB104 in thermotolerance regulation and identified its downstream target genes. Through molecular cloning and expression analysis, we demonstrated that ZmMYB104 transcription is induced by heat in maize seedlings. Subcellular localization assays confirmed its presence in the nucleus, and transactivation assays demonstrated its ability to activate transcription. Overexpression lines exhibited greater heat-stress resistance than wild-type. Integration of RNA sequencing and DNA affinity purification sequencing (DAP-seq) revealed that the catalase gene ZmCAT2 was a direct target of ZmMYB104. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays confirmed that ZmMYB104 bound to the ZmCAT2 promoter, and dual-luciferase reporter assays quantified its ability to activate ZmCAT2 transcription. Overexpression ZmMYB104-mediated upregulation of ZmCAT2 significantly increased hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) scavenging capacity under heat stress, effectively reducing reactive oxygen species accumulation and oxidative damage. These findings demonstrate that ZmMYB104 confers thermotolerance through direct transcriptional activation of the catalase gene ZmCAT2, which encodes a key enzyme in ROS detoxification. Our data provide the first evidence for a ZmMYB104–ZmCAT2 regulatory module that functions in plant heat-stress responses, advancing our understanding of the transcriptional networks that govern thermotolerance in cereal crops. The ZmMYB104–ZmCAT2 axis represents a promising genetic target for the development of climate-resilient maize varieties through molecular breeding strategies.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ppl.70478
El Hassouni, K., Afzal, M., Boeven, P.H.G. et al. (2025): Historic insights and future potential in wheat elaborated using a
diverse cultivars collection and extended phenotyping. Sci Rep 15, 31674 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13678-w
Wheat is one of the most important staple crops worldwide. Wheat breeding mainly focused on improving agronomy and techno-functionality for bread or pasta production, but nutrient content is becoming more important to fight malnutrition. We therefore investigated 282 bread wheat cultivars from seven decades of wheat breeding in Central Europe on 63 different traits related to agronomy, quality and nutrients in multiple field environments. Our results showed that wheat breeding has tremendously increased grain yield, resistance against diseases and lodging as well as baking quality across last decades. By contrast, mineral content slightly decreased without selection on it, probably due to its negative correlation with grain yield. The significant genetic variances determined for almost all traits show the potential for further improvement but significant negative correlations among grain yield and baking quality as well as grain yield and mineral content complicate their combined improvement. Thus, compromises in improvement of these traits are necessary to feed a growing global population.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-13678-w
Kijima S. and Kitao A. (2025): RNA Binding Mechanism of the FUS Zinc Finger in Concert with Its Flanking Intrinsically
Disordered Region. Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling 65 (15) | https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jcim.5c01059
The zinc finger (ZnF) motif is one of the most common nucleic acid binding motifs in proteins and comprises approximately 5% of the human genome. Proteins often carry multiple copies of ZnF motifs, enhancing DNA- and RNA-binding affinity and specificity. Fused in Sarcoma (FUS) is an RNA-binding protein that contains one ZnF motif and one RNA recognition motif. We identified the molecular basis for the strong and specific binding of FUS ZnF to RNA at atomic resolution by performing molecular dynamics and dissociation parallel cascade selection molecular dynamics simulations of a single-stranded RNA complexed with FUS ZnF and the flanking RGG2 domain. The RGG2-ZnF construct was classified into two regions based on atomic fluctuation: an intrinsically disordered region (IDR) consisting mainly of RGG2 and a structured region consisting mainly of the ZnF motif. Our results on intermolecular interactions, dissociation process, binding affinity, and free energy landscape indicate that the structured region specifically recognizes the GGU sequence of RNA, while the IDR interacts nonspecifically with the RNA backbone and distorts it. Although the binding of the structured region alone with the short RNA sequence is relatively weak, the binding of the IDR exhibits a 2-fold lower dissociation constant due to the addition of nonspecific charge interactions with RNA backbone phosphate groups. Further comprehensive analysis of nucleic acid binding motifs in the DisProt database suggests that the stabilization of protein-RNA binding by only one or a few nucleic acid binding motifs with flanking disordered regions, as in the case of FUS, ZnF is a common mechanism for ensuring strong and specific nucleic acid binding in nucleic acid binding proteins, as is the involvement of more nucleic acid binding motifs. Our findings allow us to expand the repertoire of disordered region-assisted nucleic acid binding by ZnF from double-stranded DNAs to single-stranded RNAs.