Sunday Evening News 444 - Week 40 - 2025
Weekly report on genetic engineering, genome editing, biotechnology and legal regulation.
September 2025-09-29 - October 2025-10-05
Rückblick auf das 3. Quartal 2025
Im Trilogverfahren zu den Neuen Genomischen Techniken (NGT) gibt es nichts Neues bzw. ist über den Stand der Verhandlungen nichts Neues an die Öffentlichkeit gelangt.
Im 3. Quartal 2025 hat die Kommission die Sojabohne MON 87705 x MON87705 x MON 89788 (https://www.biotech-gm-food.com/pflanzen/zulassungen-gentech-sojabohnen) und den gv-Mais DP 51291 zugelassen ( https://www.biotech-gm-food.com/gv-mais-dp-51291). Aus administrativen/rlegulatorischen Gründen wird dieser Mais dies die letzte Zulassung für das Jahr 2025 sein. Insgesamt sind 2025 fünf gv-Pflanzen für den Import als Lebens- und Futtermittel zugelassen wurden. Insgesamt sind in der EU bislang 86 gv-Pflanzen für den Import als Lebens- und Futtermittel zugelassen(Baumwolle 9, Mais 49, Raps 8, Sojabohne 19, Zuckerrübe 1).
Die EFSA hat vier Sicherheitsbewertungen für gv Pflanzen abgeschlossen und veröffentlicht.
Acht Neuanmeldungen (4x Mais, 4 x Sojabohnen) zur Sicherheitsbewertung sind bei der EFSA eingegangen.
Im 3. Quartal 2025 erfolgten 13 Neuanmeldungen von Lebensmittelenzyme zur Eintragung in die „Union-List“ bzw. zur Sicherheitsbewertungen durch die EFSA.
https://www.biotech-enzymes.com/unionsliste-lebensmittelenzyme-ausstehende-sicherheitsbewertungen
Im 3. Quartal 2025 erfolgten 13 Neuanmeldungen von Lebensmittelenzyme zur Eintragung in die „Union-List“ bzw. zur Sicherheitsbewertungen durch die EFSA.
https://www.biotech-enzymes.com/unionsliste-lebensmittelenzyme-ausstehende-sicherheitsbewertungen
Im 3. Quartal 2025 hat die EFSA die Sicherheitsbewertungen von 10 Lebensmittelenzymen veröffentlicht. Fünf Lebensmittelenzyme werden mit gentechnisch veränderten Mikroorganismen hergestellt (GMMO). Bei zwei Lebensmittelenzymen betrifft die Sicherheitsbewertung die Erweiterung des Anwendungsspektrums. Bei allen bewerteten Lebensmittelenzyme hatte der wissenschaftliche FEZ-Ausschuss keine Sicherheitsbedenken.
https://www.biotech-enzymes.com/unit-list/lebensmittelenzyme-sicherheitsbewertungen-efsa-2025
Für 12 Lebensmittelenzyme hat der FEZ-Ausschuss die Sicherheitsbewertungen abgeschlossen, aber die Ergebnisse noch nicht veröffentlicht.
Review of the third quarter of 2025
There are no new developments in the trilogue negotiations on new genomic techniques (NGT), and no new information on the status of the negotiations has been made public.
In the third quarter of 2025, the Commission authorized soybean MON 87705 x MON87705 x MON 89788 (https://www.biotech-gm-food.com/pflanzen/zulassungen-gentech-sojabohnen) and the GM maize DP 51291 (https://www.biotech-gm-food.com/gv-mais-dp-51291). For administrative/regulatory reasons, this maize will be the last approval for 2025. A total of five GM plants have been approved for import as food and feed in 2025. A total of 86 GM plants have been approved for import as food and feed in the EU to date (cotton 9, maize 49, rapeseed 8, soybean 19, sugar beet 1).
The EFSA has completed and published four safety assessments for GM plants.
Eight new applications (4x maize, 4 x soybeans) for safety assessment have been submitted to the EFSA.
In the third quarter of 2025, 13 new applications for food enzymes were submitted for inclusion in the “Union List” or for safety assessment by the EFSA.
https://www.biotech-enzymes.com/unionsliste-lebensmittelenzyme-ausstehende-sicherheitsbewertungen)
In the third quarter of 2025, EFSA published safety assessments for 10 food enzymes. Five food enzymes are produced using genetically modified microorganisms (GMMO). For two food enzymes, the safety assessment concerns the extension of the range of applications. The scientific FEZ panel had no safety concerns for any of the food enzymes assessed.
https://www.biotech-enzymes.com/unit-list/lebensmittelenzyme-sicherheitsbewertungen-efsa-2025)
The FEZ panel has completed the safety assessments for 12 food enzymes but has not yet published the results.
Meetings – Conferences / Treffen - Veranstaltungen
Bio. Innovationen. Stärken. - Die Farben der Biotechnologie - Gelb
21. Oktober 2025 in Gießen
VBIO Online-Webinarreihe: Genschere, Reprogrammierung und Epigenetic Engineering –Revolutionäre Entwicklungen in
der Biomedizin
Dienstag, 28. Oktober 2025, 17:00 - 19:00 Uhr
EFSA: 174th plenary meeting of the GMO Panel - Open for Observers
29 October 2025, 10:00 - 17:00 (CET);30 October 2025, 09:00 - 13:00 (CET)
https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/events/174th-plenary-meeting-gmo-panel-open-observers
Stakeholder Dialogue: Harnessing NGTs for Agricultural Competitiveness
Location: Hotel Renaissance (Rue Parnasse 19, 1050 Brussels)
Date and Time: 14th October from 11.00h to 13.00h
Press Releases - Media / Presse- und Medienberichte
Grävemeyer A.: SOS der Wissenschaft - Rettung für gefährdete Forschungsdaten aus den USA
https://www.heise.de/select/ct/2025/20/2518313544588307532
14.02.2025, Koch J. / AgE.: Neue Gentechnik in der Landwirtschaft: Zensiert Özdemir die Wissenschaft?
Das Bekenntnis zu neuen Züchtungstechniken verschwindet plötzlich von der Homepage des Forschungsministeriums.
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POINT NEWSLETTER NR. 279 – SEPTEMBER 2025 Aktuelle Biotechnologie
https://www.scienceindustries.ch/_file/38558/point-2025-09-279-d.pdf
Europäisches Patentamt erteilt Skandal-Patent auf Tomaten
https://oekonews.at/europaeisches-patentamt-erteilt-skandal-patent-auf-tomaten+2400+1229895
Lai S.: Taiwan develops gene-edited plants that capture more CO₂, grow faster
https://focustaiwan.tw/sci-tech/202510010023
MESHAKA D.: A biotech “Alliance”: when lobbying becomes institutionalised
https://infogm.org/en/a-biotech-alliance-when-lobbying-becomes-institutionalised/
GM Freeze: A disaster by design: the UK’s new rules for new GMOs
https://www.gmfreeze.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Disaster-by-Design-GM-Freeze-report-Sept-25.pdf
The Lancet: Billions lack access to healthy diets as food systems drive climate and health crises, but sustainable,
equitable solutions are within reach, says new EAT-Lancet report
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1100326
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 / October week 40
Publications – Publikationen
Trends in Plant Science; Volume 30 Issue 10 p1063-1178, e1-e2
Download: https://www.cell.com/trends/plant-science/current
SOWA, S., BROOTHAERTS, W., BURNS, M., DE LOOSE, M., DEBODE, F. et al., Detection of microorganisms, obtained by new
genomic techniques, in food and feed products, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2025, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2760/1846532, JRC143597.
New genomic techniques (NGTs) can be used for the targeted modification of the genome, not only of plants but also of microorganisms. Traceability of genetically modified microorganisms obtained with an NGT (NGT microorganisms) is currently a regulatory requirement under the EU GMO legislation. This report highlights the possibilities and challenges to detect NGT microorganisms (NGT-Ms) in food and feed using analytical technologies. The document builds upon the conclusions of the previously published report on the detection of plant products developed by targeted mutagenesis and cisgenesis (ENGL, 2023a) and adds issues specific for the detection of NGT-Ms.
https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC143597
Kabi M., Palei S, Routray S., Naik I.S. et al. (2025): Engineering Crop Genomes: A Review of Editing Tool Evolution,
Applications, and Future Trajectories. Ecological Genetics and Genomics 100408 | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egg.2025.100408
Crop improvement requires precise modification of genotypes to enhance their usefulness for human need that encompasses a broad range of techniques. It started with conventional plant breeding techniques like domestication, selection, hybridization breeding, mutation breeding, and passes through molecular breeding. These techniques have pros and cons in terms of their procedure, application, and outcome. Therefore, efficient desirable manipulation of genotypes can achieve through genome editing techniques that includes inactivation of target gene, replacement or addition of new gene with new function to the genome. In the recent past, emergence of new approach of genome editing enables researcher to manipulate gene. It uses artificial nucleases to modify genome rapidly which allow reverse genetics, genome engineering and targeted transgene integration in to one experiment in an efficient, precise and predictable manner. Tools used for genome editing are, programmable sequence specific nucleases which includes Mega nucleases, ZFN, TALEN and CRISPR-cas9 and base editor. Use of this genome editing tools to get desirable characters has been reported in many crops. This review paper has elaborately focused on genome editing tools and desirable modification of characters for crop improvements.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2405985425000874
Peng, H.; Li, J.; Sun, K.;Tang, H.; Huang, W.; Li, X.; Wang, S.;Ding, K.; Han, Z.; Li, Z.; et al. (2025): Advances and Applications
of Plant Base Editing Technologies. Int. J. Mol.Sci. 26, 9452. | https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26199452
Base editing represents a major breakthrough in the field of genome editing in recent years. By fusing deaminases with the CRISPR/Cas system, it enables precise single-base modifications of DNA. This review systematically summarizes the development of base editing technologies, including cytosine base editors (CBEs), adenine base editors (ABEs), and glycosylase base editors (GBEs), with a particular focus on their applications in crop improvement as well as future trends and prospects. We highlight advances in the creation of novel germplasm with enhanced stress resistance and desirable agronomic traits through base editing in rice, wheat, maize, potato, and other crops, particularly for improving herbicide resistance, disease resistance, and grain quality. Furthermore, we analyze factors that influence base editing efficiency, noting that challenges remain, such as PAM sequence constraints, limited base conversion types, off-target effects, narrow editing windows, and efficiency variation. Future efforts should aim to optimize deaminase activity, expand PAM compatibility, and develop versatile tools to facilitate the broad application of base editing in molecular breeding. This review provides a timely reference for researchers and breeders, offering theoretical guidance and practical insights into harnessing base editing for crop genetic improvement.
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/26/19/9452
Bremmer J., Gonzalez-Martinez A., Jongeneel R., Huiting H., Stokkers R., Ruijs M (2021): Impact Assessment of EC 2030 Green
Deal Targets for Sustainable Crop Production. Wageningen Economic Research, Report 2021-150.
In this report we present an Impact Assessment on six objectives of the Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies with respect to reduction of pesticide use and risk, reduction of nutrient losses, increase of the area in the EU under organic production and increase of the amount of agricultural land under high-diversity landscape features. Four scenarios have been developed for which the impacts have been assessed: (1) reduction of use and risk of pesticides, (2) reduction of use and losses of nutrients, (3) increase of area under organic production and (4) a combination of the Scenarios 1 and 2 extended with the added objective to have more land with high-diversity landscape features. The impact assessment has been executed at farm level, covering ten crops and seven case countries across the EU. The results of the case studies have been used to explore the consequences of these objectives for the production volume of the crops in the EU, market prices, the international trade and indirect land use
Juhas M., Rodekohr B., Bauer-Panskus A., Then C (2025): Combining AI and new genomic techniques to ‘fine-tune’ plants:
challenges in risk assessment. Front. Plant Sci. 16:1677066. | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2025.1677066
Using new genomic techniques (NGTs) to ‘fine-tune’ plants typically involves changing just a small number of nucleotides. These small interventions can, nevertheless, lead to effects that go beyond the known plant characteristics, caused by genotypes previously unknown in the breeders’ gene pool. The EU is currently discussing a proposal for the future regulation of NGT plants. In essence, the European Commission is proposing that NGT plants with less than 20 deletions, insertions or substitutions should in future no longer undergo mandatory risk assessment. NGT plants up to this threshold would be classified as Category 1 NGT, and therefore treated as equivalent to conventionally-bred plants. Plants in this category would not be subject to mandatory environmental risk assessment. The question thus arises of whether any of these Category1 NGT plants considered, in fact, have novel environmentally hazardous characteristics. Based on our findings from horizon scanning and to exemplify regulatory challenges, we used publicly available generative AI with the aim to design ‘fine-tuned’ NGT plants that would very likely require environmental risk assessment, but would nevertheless meet the specific the criteria for Category 1 NGT plants. As a proof of principle, we designed a genetic blueprint for an insecticidal maize plant, which could subsequently be developed using NGTs. There are several reasons why these insecticidal NGT plants should be subject to environmental risk assessment prior to being approved for cultivation. For example, they could be toxic to non-target species, cause resistance in pest insects, or show unintended genetic and phenotypic changes. In summary, there is no scientifically justifiable threshold of a certain number of mutations up to which NGT effects could be assumed to be of the same category as conventionally bred plants. Therefore, it is essential that the future regulatory concept is not based on such thresholds. On the contrary, future regulation should be science based and include case-by-case and step-by-step risk assessment, traceability and monitoring requirements to secure the future of food production and to protect biodiversity.
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2025.1677066/full
Zaman W., Khan Khalil A-A., Amin A. (2025) TALEN-Interceded Genome Editing in Plants: Unveiling New Frontiers in
Secondary Metabolite Improvement and Genetic Diversity. Plant, 14(19), 3024; | https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14193024
Secondary metabolites, including alkaloids, flavonoids, and tannins, are crucial for human health, agriculture, and ecosystem functioning. Their synthesis is often species-specific, influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. The increasing demand for these compounds across various industries highlights the need for advancements in plant breeding and biotechnological approaches. Transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) have emerged as a powerful tool for precise genome editing, offering significant potential for enhancing the synthesis of secondary metabolites in plants. However, while plant genome editing technologies have advanced significantly, the application of TALENs in improving secondary metabolite production and expanding genetic diversity remains underexplored. Therefore, this review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of TALEN-mediated genome editing in plants, focusing on their role in enhancing secondary metabolite biosynthetic pathways and improving genetic diversity. The mechanisms underlying TALENs are examined, including their ability to target specific genes involved in the synthesis of bioactive compounds, highlighting comparisons with other genome editing tools such as CRISPR/Cas9. This review further highlights key applications in medicinal plants, particularly the modification of pathways responsible for alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, and phenolic compounds. Furthermore, the role of TALENs in inducing genetic variation, improving stress tolerance, and facilitating hybridization in plant breeding programs is highlighted. Recent advances, challenges, and limitations associated with using TALENs for enhancing secondary metabolite production are critically evaluated. In this review, gaps in current research are identified, particularly regarding the integration of TALENs with multi-omics technologies and synthetic biology approaches. The findings suggest that while underutilized, TALENs offer sustainable strategies for producing high-value secondary metabolites in medicinal plants. Future research should focus on optimizing TALEN systems for commercial applications and integrating them with advanced biotechnological platforms to enhance the yield and resilience of medicinal plants.
https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/19/3024
Proto-Gerste hatte mehr als einen Vorfahren
https://www.scinexx.de/news/biowissen/proto-gerste-hatte-mehr-als-einen-vorfahren/
Howard G. (2024): Comprehensive Study on Key Traits of Organic Naked Barley
Guo, Y., Jayakodi, M., Himmelbach, A. et al. 2025):. A haplotype-based evolutionary history of barley domestication.
Nature (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09533-7
Barley is one of the oldest cultivated crops, with a complex evolutionary and domestication history1. Previous studies have rejected the idea of a single origin and instead support a model of mosaic genomic ancestry2,3. With increasingly comprehensive genome data, we now ask where the haplotypes — the building blocks of this mosaic — originate, and whether all domesticated barleys share the same wild progenitors or whether certain wild populations contribute more heavily to specific lineages. To address these questions, we apply a haplotype-based approach to investigate the genetic diversity and population structure of wild and domesticated barley. We analyse whole-genome sequences from 682 genebank accessions and 23 archaeological specimens, tracing the spatiotemporal origins of haplotypes and identifying wild contributors during domestication and later gene flow events. Ancient DNA supports our genome-wide findings from modern samples. Our results suggest that a founding domesticated population emerged in the Fertile Crescent during a prolonged period of pre-domestication cultivation. A key practical insight is that the high haplotype differentiation among barley populations — arising independently, or layered on top, of selection — poses challenges for mapping adaptive loci.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09533-7
Qian, Q., Hu, W., Yu, Y. et al. (2025): Overexpression of TaCR4-A positively regulates grain size in Triticum aestivum.
BMC Plant Biol 25, 1273 | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-07345-5
Background: Grain size is a critical factor that affects yield in wheat (Triticum aestivum). CRINKLY4 (CR4) receptor-like kinase regulates epidermal cell differentiation and seed development in several plant species, yet its functional role in wheat remains to be clarified.
Results: In this study, we identified the TaCR4 gene, which encodes the CRINKLY4 receptor-like kinase homolog in wheat. We created overexpressing (OE) wheat lines with increased TaCR4-A expression and found that the grain length, width, thickness, and weight of the OE lines increased. Cytological analysis revealed that the overexpression of TaCR4-A increased the length, width, and area of wheat grain outer pericarp cells.
Conclusions: This study demonstrated that TaCR4 positively regulates wheat grain size by regulating the size of grain epidermal cells.
https://bmcplantbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12870-025-07345-5
Zhu L., Wie F., Wu C.,Wang C. et al. (2025): On-Site Visualization and Sensing Platform for Detecting Genetically Modified
Papaya “55–1” in Papaya-Derived Products. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry | https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c07325
Genetically modified (GM) papaya “55–1” is the world’s first papaya cultivar resistant to Papaya ringspot virus (PRSV). To facilitate government regulation and protect consumers’ rights to informed choices, scientists are expected to develop a rapid and straightforward method for detecting “55–1”. In this study, we established an on-site visualization and sensing platform based on recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) to detect “55–1” in papaya-derived products. Amplified signals were generated exclusively in samples containing “55–1”, with a detection limit of 20 copies, demonstrating high specificity and sensitivity. The entire process was completed within 40–60 min, indicating high efficiency. The platform was successfully applied to detect “55–1” in papaya leaves and derived products, producing results consistent with those obtained via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first platform enabling on-site visual detection of “55–1”, and it provides a technical reference for the rapid detection of other GM
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c07325
Wang, C., Li, R., Liu, N. et al. (2025): Digital PCR-Based characterization of a Zhonghuang 6106 soybean genomic DNA
reference material for its food and feed detection. Sci Rep 15, 34593 | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-18096-6
The genomic DNA reference material of genetically modified soybean Zhonghuang6106, developed in this study, was prepared by extracting genomic DNA from the leaves of both homozygous transgenic soybean Zhonghuang 6106 and non-transgenic soybean Zhonghuang10, followed by proportional mixing of the genomic DNA. Eight qualified laboratories independently validated the certified reference material (CRM) using the digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) method. The certified value for the transgene-specific sequence copy number concentration was determined to be (1.04 ± 0.16)×10³ copies·µL-1, while the copy number ratio of Zhonghuang 6106 to Lectin was 0.047 ± 0.006.Homogeneity and stability assessments revealed that this batch of CRMs exhibited excellent homogeneity and could be stably stored for up to 10 days at 37 °C. Additionally, it remained stable for up to 6 months at -20 °C. This reference material can be used for qualitative and quantitative detection of genetically modified soybean Zhonghuang 6106 and its related products, as well as for the evaluation of specific detection methods and laboratory quality control.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-18096-6
Balimponya, E.G., Dwiyanti, M.S., Yamamori, K. et al. (2025): Accurate detections of the heterozygous SNPs with rice
genomic data and prediction of de novo spontaneous mutation rate. Plant Methods 21, 125 | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13007-025-01437-x
Background: The use of Illumina sequencing technologies has enabled the identification and removal of mutations in various plant species. However, the Illumina sequencing method requires a considerable amount of data to ensure its integrity and quality due to the enormous number of false positives. This study aimed to explore an effective genomic data analysis for the detection of heterozygous variant (HV) in rice varieties.
Results: We compared the accuracy of four combinations of mapping tools and variant calling pipelines and selected BWA-MEM2 with GATK4.3 HaplotypeCaller. To detect heterozygous de novo polymorphisms such as HVs in the three different rice varieties (Nipponbare, Kitaake, and Hinohikari), we adopted the following cost-saving procedures; secondary references were created in Nipponbare and Kitaake, and generation-based comparison was performed in Hinohikari. The similar HVs were estimated by the three varieties to range from 2.55814 × 10–8 to 4.41860 × 10–8, with an average of 3.10278 × 10–8 per nucleotide in a single rice plant, a rate consistent with observations in other organisms. Of 107 HVs identified in all eight plant samples, nine were found to be non-synonymous, resulting in an average of one non-synonymous HV per plant in a single generation.
Conclusions: We have developed a methodology for the detection of true positive HVs within Illumina sequencing techniques. This system removed false positive HVs, allowing for the estimation of true positive HVs and, consequently, the estimation of the mutation rate. The study outlines a clear, step-by-step procedure that can be employed to detect true HVs in different organisms.
https://plantmethods.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13007-025-01437-x