Sunday Evening News 445 - Week 41 - 2025
Weekly report on genetic engineering, genome editing, biotechnology and legal regulation.
October 2025-10-06 - 2025-10-12
Der höchste Lohn für unsere Bemühungen ist nicht das, was wir dafür bekommen, sondern das was wir dadurch werden.
John Ruskin, Philosoph (1819-1900)
The highest reward for our efforts is not what we get for them, but what we become as a result.
John Ruskin, Philosoph (1819-1900)
Press Releases - Media / Presse- und Medienberichte
Gentechnik und Tierschutz: Was der Gesundheitsausschuss für Österreichs Zukunft plant
Interview: Petra Pinzler und Mark Schieritz: Mehr Gentechnik im Essen?
https://www.zeit.de/2025/43/ernaehrung-gentechnik-essen-matthias-berninger-bayer-karl-baer-gruene
Anuga 2025 VLOG / Appell an Agrarminister: Wirtschaft braucht gute Gentechnik-Regeln!
DNR: Zwölf-Punkte-Plan für eine zukunftsfähige Landwirtschaft
Kleindl R., Taschwer K.: Chinas unaufhaltsamer Aufstieg zur Supermacht der Wissenschaft
AIPPI Position Paper on New Genomic Technique (NGT) Plant Patenting Proposal of the European Parliament
GM-Watch: New GMOs exacerbate patent thicket for farmers and breeders
GM Watch: Three genetically engineered fruits and vegetables sold in Canada
https://gmwatch.org/en/106-news/latest-news/20597
https://cban.ca/wp-content/uploads/Gene-Edited-Fruits-and-Vegetables-Report-2025.pdf
Only some selected press releases or media reports are listed here. The daily up-date of the press releases and
media reports are ►here: October week 41
Publications – Publikationen
Rockström J., Thilsted S.H., Willett W.C., Gordon L.J., Herrero M., Hicks C.C. et al. (2025): The EAT–Lancet Commission on
healthy, sustainable, and just food systems
The global context has shifted dramatically since publication of the first EAT–Lancet Commission in 2019, with increased geopolitical instability, soaring food prices, and the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbating existing vulnerabilities and creating new challenges. However, food systems remain squarely centred at the nexus of food security, human health, environmental sustainability, social justice, and the resilience of nations. Actions on food systems strongly impact the lives and wellbeing of all and are necessary to progress towards goals highlighted in the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement, and the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Although current food systems have largely kept pace with population growth, ensuring sufficient caloric intake for many, they are the single most influential driver of planetary boundary transgression. More than half of the world's population struggles to access healthy diets, leading to devastating consequences for public health, social equity, and the environment. Although hunger has declined in some regions, recent increases linked to expanding conflicts and emergent climate change impacts have reversed this positive trend. Obesity rates continue to rise globally, and the pressure exerted by food systems on planetary boundaries shows no signs of abating. In this moment of increasing instability, food systems still offer an unprecedented opportunity to build the resilience of environmental, health, economic, and social systems, and are uniquely placed to enhance human wellbeing while also contributing to Earth-system stability.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)01201-2/abstract
https://www.thelancet.com/commissions-do/EAT-2025
Dubock, A. (2025): Nutrition, Rice, and Public Health
Perspectives on Ameliorating Vitamin A and Other Micronutrient Deficiencies in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, With Golden Rice as an Example. Nutrition Today 60(5), 200-209, | DOI: 10.1097/NT.0000000000000761
White rice is the staple crop in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). It must be polished for storage and has very small amounts of vitamins and no pro–vitamin A (beta-carotene). People in LMICs often consume huge amounts of rice, and many people little else. Vitamin A deficiency and other micronutrient deficiencies, including iron, zinc, and folate, are common as a result. Micronutrient supplements and chemical fortification by adding micronutrients during the processing of foods have both undoubtedly reduced micronutrient malnutrition. However, both are unsustainable due to processing, packaging, and distribution costs. After decades of the use of these strategies, micronutrient deficiencies remain high in LMICs. Biofortification is an additional method of ameliorating micronutrient deficiencies. The earliest example, Golden Rice, has great potential, by itself and as a carrier for other biofortified micronutrients. However, unwarranted suspicions of the technology, and the motivations for using it, have significantly delayed progress. Nutritionists and development professionals need to appreciate that the suspicions around biofortification of crops hinder the ability to deliver public health for the poorest of human society
Singh M., Sahu R., Panchal J., Soni R. et al. (2025): The Role of Plant Breeding in Enhancing Food Security: A Review of
Recent Developments and Challenges. PLANT CELL BIOTECHNOLOGY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 26 (9-10):219–236. https://doi.org/10.56557/pcbmb/2025/v26i9-109796
Plant breeding is important in securing food for a larger population in the world. With the issues of climate change that the world has to deal with, rising food demand, and population growth, we need to enhance crop production by performing innovative breeding processes. The given review is devoted to the developments in plant breeding, in particular, traditional breeding, as well as to the new genetic methods for breeding: genetic engineering and gene editing. The plant breeders are keen to come up with crops that give better outputs, are adaptable to adverse environmental conditions, and better nutritious. This paper discussed the impact of biotechnology in breeding practice and how it may help in countering issues in the form of drought, disease, and nutritional deprivation. Practical examples presented in the review, such as Golden Rice, Bt cotton, and drought-tolerant maize, demonstrate the roles these modern developments can play in feeding a growing population across the world. Moreover, ethical, regulatory/legal issues and environmental implications of genetically modified creatures, which are referred to as genetically modified organisms (GMOs), were discussed. Plant breeding in the future should focus on maintaining a balance between technology and the sustainable process to produce global food security in the long term. Emphasis was put on some of the advances taking place in crop improvement plans, the contribution of policy and the significance of teamwork in order to satisfy the rising food requirements. More funding on research and development is necessary so as to overcome the challenges that are increasingly evident in the form of climate change, growing population and evolving dietary requirements. Accordingly, by marrying scientific advancements with sustainable practices, this review presents a snapshot of information that may help researchers, policymakers, and practitioners formulate approaches to supporting long-term global food security.
https://ikprress.org/index.php/PCBMB/article/view/9796
Kumar R., Malo K., Lagoriya D.S., Joshi S. et al. (2025): Advancing Nutritional Quality through Genome Editing for
Biofortification: A Comprehensive Review. Journal of Advances in Biology & Biotechnology 28 (10):744–760. https://doi.org/10.9734/jabb/2025/v28i103100.
Hidden hunger, driven by micronutrient deficiencies, remains a major global challenge, particularly in marginalized regions where cereals form the dietary staple. Genetic biofortification offers a sustainable and cost-effective strategy to enhance the nutritional profile of crops by increasing levels of essential amino acids, zinc, and iron. This review synthesizes advances from conventional breeding, quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping, and molecular tools, with emphasis on integrating wild relatives into wheat improvement programs. Marker-assisted and genomic selection have accelerated progress, while recent breakthroughs in CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing enable precise modification of genes regulating nutrient accumulation and crop productivity. Demonstrated successes in rice, wheat, maize, and barley highlight the potential of genome editing to complement traditional approaches. Importantly, linking biofortification research with nutrition security policies ensures broader adoption and impact, especially in resource-poor households. Integrating genome editing with systems-level breeding strategies, multi-environment trials, and nutrition-oriented policy frameworks will be critical to scale biofortification globally. Investments in regulatory clarity, farmer adoption programs, and consumer awareness are essential to maximize benefits.
https://journaljabb.com/index.php/JABB/article/view/3100
Raza A.,∙Li .Y., Prakash C.S., Hu Z. (2025): Panomics to manage combined abiotic stresses in plants,
Forum 30 (10), 1079-1084
Climate change-driven combined abiotic stresses threaten crop health and productivity. We propose leveraging panomics and advanced breeding tools to get insights into how plants manage combined abiotic stresses. By identifying novel molecular targets and pathways, we can fast-track designing stress-smart future crops, advancing sustainable agriculture in a changing climate.
Chauhan, V.P., Sharp, P.A. & Langer, R. (2025): Engineered prime editors with minimal genomic errors. Nature |
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09537-3
Prime editors make programmed genome modifications by writing new sequences into extensions of nicked DNA 3′ ends1. These edited 3′ new strands must displace competing 5′ strands to install edits, yet a bias towards retaining the competing 5′ strands hinders efficiency and can cause indel errors2. Here we discover that nicked end degradation, consistent with competing 5′ strand destabilization, can be promoted by Cas9-nickase mutations that relax nick positioning. We exploit this mechanism to engineer efficient prime editors with strikingly low indel errors. Combining this error-suppressing strategy with the latest efficiency-boosting architecture, we design a next-generation prime editor (vPE). Compared with previous editors, vPE features comparable efficiency yet up to 60-fold lower indel errors, enabling edit:indel ratios as high as 543:1.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09537-3
Dai, T., Hong, X., Jiang, F. et al. (2025): A multi-parent population approach to reveal the genetic basis of plant height in
maize. BMC Plant Biol 25, 1321 | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-07393-x
Background: Plant height (PH) is a key agronomic trait influencing Maize yield and environmental adaptability. An optimal plant height can improve lodging resistance, planting density, and harvest index, thereby promoting stable and increased Maize yield. To investigate the genetic basis of plant height regulation, a multi-parent population comprising 917 F8 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) was developed by crossing five tropical, subtropical, and temperate inbred lines (YML32, CML171, TML418, NK40-1, and Chang7-2) with the dwarf inbred line Ye107.
Results: Phenotypic analysis revealed wide variation in plant height and high heritability among the RILs. Using 6,389,682 high-quality SNPs generated through whole-genome resequencing (WGS), 147 significant SNPs and 22 QTLs associated with plant height were identified by genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and linkage analysis, respectively. Integration of these results revealed co-localization of a significant SNP (1–25,296,496) and a major QTL (qPH1-1), confirming a key locus on chromosome 1. This integrative approach, combined with functional annotation, led to the identification of four key candidate genes (Zm00001eb008340, Zm00001eb038680, Zm00001eb038690 and Zm00001eb038700) potentially involved in plant height regulation, which encode ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase 26, the putative kinase-like protein TMKL1, exocyst complex component EXO84C, and the zinc finger protein Bud20, respectively.
Conclusions: Functional annotation suggested these candidate genes are likely involved in auxin-mediated pathways. This hypothesis was supported by qRT-PCR analysis, which showed high expression of the candidate genes in internode tissues at the V14 rapid growth stage. Notably, Zm00001eb038700 is located upstream of BR2, a well-characterized gene involved in plant height regulation in maize, implicating its potential role in a conserved |regulatory network. This study elucidates novel genetic components underlying plant height in maize and provides valuable genomic resources for breeding compact, high-yielding hybrids.
https://bmcplantbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12870-025-07393-x
Ahangarani Farahani, Y.H., Norouzi, M. & Mohammadi, S.A. (2025): Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of
HD-ZIP gene family in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) under water deficit stress. Sci Rep 15, 34544 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-17883-5
The HD-ZIP gene family plays a crucial role in plant growth, development, and responses to environmental stressors. Nevertheless, there exists a paucity of information regarding this gene family in Helianthus annuus (Sunflower). In the present investigation, a total of 55 putative HaHD-ZIP genes were identified and subsequently classified into four subfamilies based on phylogenetic analysis, further substantiated through the analysis of gene structures and conserved motifs. An analysis of the promoter regions of HaHD-ZIP genes revealed the existence of numerous diverse cis-regulatory elements. Furthermore, we identified 15,577 binding sites for the HD-ZIP transcription factor within the sunflower genome, distributed across 9,479 unique genes. The analysis of protein-protein interactions elucidated the existence of three distinct clusters of HaHD-ZIPs, within which A0A251U614, HaHD-ZIP48, and LBD1 proteins were identified as the most interactive proteins. Additionally, gene duplication analysis revealed that two genes were tandem duplicated, while eight genes were subjected to segmental duplication, underscoring the importance of these genes in the expansion of the HD-ZIP gene family. Expression analysis indicated notable upregulation of the HaHD-ZIP4 gene compared to other analyzed genes under water deficit stress conditions. The results will provide significant insights into the further functional characterization of drought-responsive HaHD-ZIP genes in Sunflower.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-17883-5
Guiltinan M.J., Landherr L., Maximova S.N.,DelVecchio D. et al. (2025): Reduced Susceptibility to Phytophthora in Non-
Transgenic Cacao Progeny Through CRISPR–Cas9 Mediated TcNPR3 Mutagenesis. Plant Biotechnology Journal | https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.70365
Black pod disease, caused by a complex of Phytophthora species, poses a severe threat to global cacao production. This study explores the use of CRISPR–Cas9 genome editing to reduce disease susceptibility in Theobroma cacao L. by targeting the TcNPR3 gene, a known negative regulator of plant defence. Transgenic T0 lines carrying mutations predicted to disrupt TcNPR3 function exhibited reduced susceptibility to Phytophthora infection in in vitro foliar assays. These T0 plants were advanced to maturity and outcrossed with non-transgenic cacao to eliminate T-DNA sequences associated with the CRISPR–Cas9 transgene. Whole-genome sequencing of the T0 parents and 22 progeny revealed single T-DNA insertion sites in each T0 line; seven progeny retained the edited npr3 alleles but lacked T-DNA insertions. Transcriptome analysis of the mutant lines showed upregulation of genes associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, defence-related transcription factors and pathogenesis-related proteins. Several genes were also downregulated, suggesting that TcNPR3 may function as both a repressor and an activator in regulating basal transcriptional states. Genome-edited plants were phenotypically comparable to wild-type controls and displayed a 42% reduction in lesion size upon Phytophthora challenge. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of generating non-transgenic cacao with reduced susceptibility to Phytophthora through CRISPR–Cas9-mediated genome editing, offering a promising strategy for sustainable cacao cultivation and improved farmer livelihoods. Field trials are underway to evaluate long-term agronomic performance under natural conditions.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pbi.70365
Dennis D.J., Gibbs A. J. (2025): The effect of neonicotinoids on bumblebees (Bombus spp.): a systematic review.
Front. Bee Sci., Sec. Bee Protection and Health 3 - 2025 | https://doi.org/10.3389/frbee.2025.1657493
Neonicotinoids are systemic insecticides used in agriculture to control herbivorous pests by targeting the nervous system. However, the persistence and presence of neonicotinoids in pollen and nectar raises concerns regarding impacts on non-target organisms, particularly pollinators such as bees. Bumblebees (Bombus spp.) are essential for wild plant pollination and crop production but are vulnerable to insecticides due to their foraging behaviors and ecological traits. While commercially available forms of neonicotinoids have been banned in select countries over recent years, they are still utilized extensively in many parts of the world, with limited understanding of impacts on bumblebee physiology and behavior. To investigate neonicotinoid effects on bumblebees, we systematically reviewed studies from Scopus and Web of Science following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. A total of 52 primary studies were identified, revealing a pronounced geographic bias, with 81% of research conducted in the UK and the U.S. (54% and 27%, respectively). Bombus terrestris, B. terrestris audax, and B. impatiens emerged as the most studied species whereas imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, and clothianidin were the most common neonicotinoid compounds tested, represented in 88% of the studies. In comparison, only a single study performed on B. ephippiatus and there are currently no published studies assessing the impact of the compounds nitenpyram or dinotefuran on bumblebee health and behavior. Behavioral alterations, particularly foraging and cognition, were the most prevalent reported effects of neonicotinoids, followed by reproductive health and physiological impacts. This review highlights the need for more geographically and taxonomically diverse research, particularly in regions still using neonicotinoids. The prevalence of sublethal effects raises concerns for colony health and pollination services, yet direct assessments of pollination efficiency remain limited. As such, critical knowledge gaps remain, particularly regarding understudied neonicotinoid compounds and bumblebee species, emphasizing the need for further research to inform sustainable agricultural practices and conservation strategies.
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/bee-science/articles/10.3389/frbee.2025.1657493/full
Torres M., Price M.N., Khasanova A., Kosina S.M. et al. (2025): Bacterial fitness for plant colonization is influenced by plant
growth substrate. New Phytologist | https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.70617
Despite advances in our understanding of bacterial plant colonization, the extent to which growth substrate influences the molecular mechanisms enabling bacteria to efficiently colonize plants remains poorly understood. To address this, we used randomly barcoded transposon mutagenesis sequencing (RB-TnSeq) in Paraburkholderia graminis OAS925, an efficient rhizosphere colonizer, and Brachypodium distachyon grown in six different substrates.
Of the 382 rhizosphere colonization genes that we identified in OAS925, 348 genes (91.1%) are dependent on the growth substrate evaluated, and 34 genes (8.9%) are shared across all the substrates. Both the core and substrate-dependent colonization genes are from multiple functional categories, demonstrating the multifaceted and major impact that plant growth substrate has on bacterial colonization.
The identified colonization genes and their varied importance across plant growth substrates could not be readily explained by differences in root exudate profiles, suggesting that the substrate environment itself plays an outsized role in the ability of a bacterium to colonize the rhizosphere.
Our data confirm that bacterial fitness for plant colonization is strongly influenced by plant growth substrate type and highlights the importance of taking this parameter into consideration when engineering bacterial strains for improved host colonization
https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nph.70617
Rolón-Cárdenas, G.A., Hernández-Martínez, L., Pacheco-Aguilar, J.R. et al. (2025): Genomic and biochemical characterization of
Bacillus siamensis CIS52 reveals its potential to control phytopathogenic fungi. 3 Biotech 15, 366 | https://doi.org/10.1007/s13205-025-04539-4
Genome sequencing of Bacillus siamensis CIS52 confirmed its identity and revealed gene clusters involved in the biosynthesis of antifungal compounds, including fengycin, surfactin, and bacillaene. Biochemical characterization showed its ability to solubilize phosphate (121.27 ± 0.05 mg/L), produce indole acetic acid (36.93 ± 0.01 mg/L), and exhibit ACC deaminase activity, supporting its role as a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium. The cell-free supernatant of B. siamensis CIS52 completely inhibited the growth of Sclerotium rolfsii and Rhizoctonia solani and partially suppressed Phytophthora sp. (53.25 ± 3.44%), Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (35.11 ± 2.04%), Alternaria alternata (35.09 ± 5.32%), and Fusarium oxysporum (16.44 ± 3.36%). Extracts of the cell-free supernatant retained antifungal activity, consistent with the presence of lipopeptide-type compounds as confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. PCR analysis confirmed the presence of biosynthetic genes for iturin (ituA, ituB, ituC, and ituD), fengycin (fenB and fenD), and surfactin (srfAB) in the genome of B. siamensis CIS52. In sealed plate assays, volatile organic compounds from B. siamensis CIS52 reduced the growth of R. solani (73.78 ± 0.77%), S. rolfsii (62.22 ± 0.77%), and A. alternata (61.78 ± 2.04%). GC–MS analysis identified antifungal VOCs, including 2,5-dimethylpyrazine, 2-methyl-3-isopropylpyrazine, and 2-dodecanone. These results demonstrate that B. siamensis CIS52 suppresses phytopathogenic fungi through the combined action of lipopeptides and VOCs, highlighting its potential as a biocontrol agent and plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium for sustainable agriculture.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13205-025-04539-4
Zik J.J., Price M.N., Mayra K.H.A, Santos A.A. et al. (2025): Dual transposon sequencing profiles the genetic interaction
landscape in bacteria. Science 389 (6767) | DOI: 10.1126/science.adt7685
INTRODUCTION: Next-generation DNA sequencing (NGS) has considerably increased the amount of sequencing data in public databases. However, millions of these sequences still remain as genetic “dark matter.” About one-third of bacterial genes have no known functions, partly due to challenges such as gene redundancy. We report dual transposon sequencing (dual Tn-seq), a high-throughput platform designed to systematically mine genetic interactions and help identify gene functions. Understanding these unknown genes is especially important for developing new strategies to combat the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance.
RATIONALE: Transposon sequencing (Tn-seq) is a widely used, unbiased approach for studying gene function. This technique measures changes in the abundance of randomly inserted, gene-inactivating transposons within a saturated mutant pool, helping to identify genes necessary for survival under different conditions. One approach is to perform Tn-seq in a single-gene knockout background to uncover genetic interactions, in which combinations of mutations lead to unexpected results such as synthetic lethality. Genes that interact are often functionally related. However, traditional Tn-seq is not designed to systematically identify genetic interaction networks because it cannot detect random double transposon mutants that are far apart in the genome, which limits its scope.
RESULTS:. To address this limitation, we developed dual Tn-seq, which enables high-throughput fitness assessment of a large pool of double transposon mutants. Dual Tn-seq combines randomly barcoded (RB) Tn-seq with the cre-lox system. Cre recombinase brings the two distant barcodes close together, allowing for the capture of both insertions within a single sequencing read. We applied this system to the human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae by building two barcoded transposon libraries and combining them to generate more than a billion double mutants. After inducing Cre and sequencing, we used a probabilistic model to compare observed double mutant frequencies with the expected levels calculated from the frequencies of the individual mutants. This screen reported 244 high-confidence genetic interactions, ranging from synthetic lethality to partial growth impairment. These interactions involved diverse biochemical pathways, allowing us to define functions of hypothetical genes, such as the alternative CTP synthase PyrJ and a regulator of peptidoglycan synthesis.
CONCLUSION. Dual Tn-seq provides a scalable and cost-effective approach to uncover genetic interactions in bacteria. It only requires a few components: an inducible promoter, the ability to generate transposon mutants, and a functioning cre cassette. As sequencing costs continue to decline, this approach will become more accessible in a wide range of organisms. Moreover, the scope of dual Tn-seq can be broadened by growing the double mutant libraries under different conditions, such as with antibiotic treatments or various nutritional and growth conditions. Dual Tn-seq opens new avenues for exploring microbiology and accelerating the discovery of drug targets.
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adt7685
Huang J. (2025): Orchard Soil Health—Current Challenges and Future Perspectives. Horticulturae 11 (10), 1206;
https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11101206
Globally, orchard soils are facing multiple severe health issues. However, different countries and regions have adopted their own soil classification standards, making many studies only useful for improving soil health in local orchards but not widely applicable to other regions. This fragmentation highlights the urgent need for internationally comparable approaches to orchard soil health assessment. Furthermore, there are currently no unified standards for screening orchard soil health indicators or establishing comprehensive evaluation indices. Many proposed orchard soil health assessment frameworks lack practical applicability. This review introduces and compares several soil health assessment methods, critically analyzes their limitations, and explores directions for improvement in their application to orchards. Additionally, it addresses the primary challenges, currently and in the future, facing orchard soil health—climate change and emerging contaminants. This review also evaluates current orchard soil health management practices, focusing on their advantages and limitations. Finally, this paper offers recommendations for data acquisition and analysis in future orchard soil health assessment frameworks and encourages the establishment of a Decision-Making Platform for Soil Health with Cross-Border Cooperation and Feedback, thereby promoting a more globally consistent perspective on orchard soil health.
https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/10/1206
Khan, M.F. (2025): Enhancing stability of enzymes for industrial applications: molecular insights and emerging
approaches. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 41, 362 | https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-025-04568-4
The growing demand for robust biocatalysts in industrial bioprocesses has intensified the pursuit of enzymes capable of functioning under extreme physicochemical conditions. This work critically examines the molecular determinants of enzyme stability, including thermostability, pH tolerance, halotolerance, resistance to solvents and oxidative stress, mechanical resilience to shear and pressure, and storage stability. These traits are essential for sustained catalytic performance in sectors such as bioenergy, pharmaceuticals, food, textiles, and environmental remediation. Recent advances in structure-guided engineering, molecular dynamics, and mutational profiling have enabled rational strategies to enhance enzyme resilience. By adopting a multi-parametric lens, this study bridges specific molecular adaptations with industrial challenges, offering a systems-level framework often lacking in single-condition analyses. It also explores emerging frontiers, including AI-assisted enzyme design, metagenomic discovery from extremophiles, and synthetic reconstruction of adaptive pathways, paving the way for next-generation biocatalysts optimised for scalability, performance, and sustainability. The novelty of this work lies in its integrative approach combining molecular insight, environmental origin, and computational tools to guide the development of industrially robust enzymes.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11274-025-04568-4
EFSA
FEZ Panel (2025): Safety evaluation of the food enzyme subtilisin from the genetically modified Bacillus subtilis strain DP-Ezx62.
EFSA Journal, 23(10), e9670. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2025.9670
https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2025.9670
FEZ Panel ( (2025): Safety evaluation of the food enzyme d-psicose 3-epimerase from the genetically modified Escherichia coli strain
K-12 W3110-TKO CDX-088. EFSA Journal, 23(10), e9666. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2025.9666
https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2025.9666
FEZ Panel (2025): Safety evaluation of an extension of use of the food enzyme β-amylase from barley (Hordeum vulgare).
EFSA Journal, 23(10), e9668. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2025.9668
https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2025.9668
FEZ Panel (2025): Safety evaluation of the food enzyme thermomycolin from the genetically modified Trichoderma reesei strain
AR-201. EFSA Journal, 23(10), e9663. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2025.9663
https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2025.9663