Sunday Evening News 467 / 2026
Weekly report on genetic engineering, genome editing, biotechnology and legal regulation.
March 2026-03-16 - 2026-03-26
“Innovation ist eine Idee im Gärungsprozess. Innovation ist, wenn man trotzdem weitermacht. Innovation ist kein Schicksal, sondern Machsmal.”
Hans-Jürgen Quadbeck-Seeger, Prof. Dr., deutscher Chemiker
Innovation is an idea in the process of taking shape. Innovation is when you keep going despite the odds. Innovation is not a matter of fate, but of action.”
Hans-Jürgen Quadbeck-Seeger, Ph.D., German chemist
Press Releases - Media / Presse- und Medienberichte
DECHEMA: Stärkung des Biotechnologie-Standorts Deutschland durch Entbürokratisierung des Gentechnikrechts
Stellungnahme: https://dechema.de/dechema_media/Downloads/Positionspapiere/2026_Stellungnahme+zur+Regulation+der+Gentechnik.pdf
Mit dem Essen spielt man nicht – für transparente Kennzeichnung
Letzte Chance - Deregulierung der Gentechnik verhindern!
https://zukunftsstiftung-landwirtschaft.de/ueber-uns/aktuelles/letzte-chance-gentechnik-verhindern/
InfOM: Call to Action for companies: Letter templates to politicians on the deregulation of genetic engineering
infOGM: 71 MPs urge the French government to reject the deregulation of GMOs derived from new genomic techniques
GM Watch: Deregulation of new GMOs is without scientific basis
https://www.gmwatch.org/en/106-news/latest-news/20647
Testbiotech: European Commission plans to accelerate the release of genetically engineered microorganisms
Beyond Pesticides: Genetically Modified Microorganisms Threaten Human and Soil Health; Full Extent of Hazards Not Regulated
Only some selected press releases or media reports are listed here. The daily up-date of the press releases and
media reports are ►here: March 12/2026
Publications – Publikationen
Hodgson, J. (2026): Lessons from biotech’s unscientific evolution. Nat Biotechnol 44, 342–344 |
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-026-03029-z
To apparently little effect, Nature Biotechnology has been commenting on the oddly unscientific ways of biotech for 30 years. Revisiting the exasperation and occasional ridicule of this journal’s editorials, this Comment explores how populist and commercial lobbies have sidetracked regulations — in particular, those for genetically modified organisms and biosimilars. In a lesson germane in today’s political climate, re-establishing a rational path rapidly may reduce the damage.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41587-026-03029-z
DeFrancesco L.: (2026): Genome editing’s third act. Nature Biotechnology 44, 331–333 |
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-026-03058-8
The newest gene editors are shifting away from tackling mutations one by one and toward universal therapies that will hopefully create cheaper and more broadly applicable medicines.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41587-026-03058-8
Mewett, O., McMurdy, J., Bertho, L. et al. (2026): Re-evaluating the site-directed nuclease classification as a regulatory
trigger for genome-edited plant products. Nat Biotechnol. | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-026-03028-0
Site-directed nuclease (SDN) classification into SDN-1, SDN-2 and SDN-3 outcomes is used for regulating genome-edited plant products in some countries. This reductive categorization system fails to cover the breadth of genome editing technologies developed over the past decade and their rapidly approaching commercial use. Here, we argue that, in the context of plant breeding, regulations should focus on the characteristics of the genome editing outcome, rather than specific methods used in the development process. Such a science-based, outcome-focused regulatory approach would future-proof the risk-proportionate oversight of plant breeding innovations and enable a more efficient delivery of improved crop varieties amidst growing concerns of climate change and evolving pests and diseases.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41587-026-03028-0
Lu Y., Bouchard C., Soucy N, Siddika A., Lamothe G., Godbout K., Tremblay J.P. (2026):The Improvements and Applications of
Prime Editing. DNA, 6 (1), 16 | https://doi.org/10.3390/dna6010016
Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9, a genome-editing technology pioneered in 2012, enables the precise correction of deleterious mutations or disruption of disease-causing genes through targeted double-strand breaks (DSBs), offering potential for treating genetic diseases. However, CRISPR/Cas9 can cause off-target cleavage at non-specific DNA sites, leading to unintended insertions or deletions (indels), which limit its safety and applicability despite ongoing improvements in specificity. Recently, prime editing (PE), an advanced CRISPR-derived technology, has been employed with a Cas9 nickase (Cas9n) fused with a reverse transcriptase and a prime editing guide RNA (pegRNA) to enable precise insertions, deletions, and transversions without inducing DSBs, thus reducing risks of indels and chromosomal aberrations. Furthermore, ongoing optimizations, such as improved pegRNA design and enhanced editing efficiency, have expanded the applications of PE in medical therapeutics, agriculture, and fundamental research. This review summarizes recent advancements in the PE system, including optimized pegRNA designs and enzyme engineering for enhanced efficiency and specificity, alongside novel delivery methods. It also evaluates cutting-edge delivery strategies, such as adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors, lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) and novel extracellular vesicle (EV)-based systems, and explores PE applications in vitro and in vivo, including disease modeling and therapeutic gene correction.
https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8856/6/1/16
Moran, Y., Coelho, S.M., Ettema, T.J.G. et al. (2026): EMBO Press co-evolves with molecular ecology and evolutionary
biology. EMBO J 45, 1815–1817 | https://doi.org/10.1038/s44318-026-00723-1
Molecular ecology and evolution are central to understanding how biological systems function, interact, and diversify. A special issue of this journal reflects the growing synergy of molecular, genomic and cell biology with ecological and evolutionary reasoning. Accordingly, EMBO Press is recalibrating its editorial practices to better support studies embedded in ecological and evolutionary contexts.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1038/s44318-026-00723-1
Fischer, M., Hoffmann, S. (2026): Transcriptional interference revisited. Nat Genet, DOI: 10.1038/s41588-026-02536-8
The transcriptional interference model suggests that RNA polymerases elongating through overlapping transcription units mutually inhibit transcription and disrupt associated cis-regulatory elements. As a longstanding fundamental concept of gene regulation, the idea of reciprocal inhibition between sense and antisense transcription has been supported by a significant body of research. However, despite the model’s biophysical plausibility and historical significance, evidence from large-scale transcriptome studies raises questions about its universal applicability. In particular, the new data indicate that a measurable influence of transcriptional interference is absent from the majority of loci with overlapping transcription. Here we highlight key aspects of overlapping transcription and propose potential solutions to this emerging puzzle. Gaining a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms that render loci sensitive or resistant to interference could lead to groundbreaking insights into the biology of gene regulation.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-026-02536-8
Huang X., He W., Bassie L, Christou P., Capell T. (2026):Genome editing in rice: toward climate-resilient, nutrient-rich yields.
Trends in Plant Science | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2026.02.007
Rice is the main source of calories for more than half of the world’s population, so yields must increase to feed an estimated 5 billion people by 2050, despite the effects of resource depletion and climate change. The urgent demand for resilient, higher-yielding varieties cannot be met by conventional breeding, which is too slow, or transgenesis, which is burdened by regulatory issues. In contrast, genome editing enables precise, efficient, and transgene-free improvements for gene knockouts. This review covers major advances in rice genome editing since 2020, including innovations in base and prime editing, multiplex editing, and delivery. We highlight applications that improve yield, abiotic and biotic stress resilience, and nutritional quality, as well as challenges and future directions affecting precision, delivery, and regulatory policy.
Zhang, M., Wu, Z., Huang, L. et al. (2026): A genetic module boosts grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency by improving
nitrate transport in maize. Nat Genet | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-026-02532-y
Although nitrogen fertilizer use has boosted crop yields, excessive application diminishes crop nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and causes environmental problems. Therefore, increasing crop NUE is urgently needed for agricultural sustainability. Through a genome-wide association study, we identified a locus, NCR1 (Nitrate Concentration Regulator 1), that correlates with nitrate concentrations in maize root xylem. NCR1 encodes a MYB transcription factor that positively regulates the transcription of nitrate transporter NRT2.3 expressed predominantly in root xylem parenchyma cells. The NCR1–NRT2.3 transcription module responds to external nitrogen and controls nitrate translocation from roots to shoots. The superior NCR1−In allele with a 123-bp promoter deletion has decreased in frequency as nitrogen fertilizer use in China has increased. Overexpression of NCR1 or NRT2.3, or introgression of NCR1−In, increases grain yield and nitrogen content in the shoot and seed. This study uncovers a crucial genetic module for improving grain yield and NUE in maize.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-026-02532-y
Veres S., Elhawat N., Rengel Z., Alshaal T. (2026): Nitrogen Management in Crop–Soil–Environment Systems: Pathways
Toward Sustainable and Climate-Resilient Agriculture. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 27 (5), 2477 | https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27052477
Abiotic stresses including drought, salinity, heat, cold, and heavy metal toxicity severely constrain plant productivity worldwide. Nitrogen (N), beyond its fundamental nutritional role, has emerged as a central regulator of plant stress responses through its involvement in metabolic reprogramming, osmotic adjustment, antioxidant defense, and hormonal signaling. This review synthesizes current advances in understanding how nitrogen availability and form influence plant tolerance to major abiotic stresses. Particular emphasis is placed on nitrogen-mediated modulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging systems, nitrogen–carbon metabolic coordination, phytohormonal crosstalk, osmoprotectant biosynthesis, and regulation of stress-responsive gene expression. Recent molecular insights highlight the role of nitrogen transporters, nitrate signaling pathways, and nitrogen-use efficiency in stress adaptation mechanisms. Furthermore, agronomic and biotechnological strategies aimed at optimizing nitrogen management to enhance stress resilience are discussed, including precision fertilization, integrated nutrient management, and genetic approaches targeting nitrogen-responsive regulatory networks. By integrating physiological, biochemical, and molecular perspectives, this review provides a comprehensive framework for understanding nitrogen-driven mitigation strategies under abiotic stress conditions and outlines future research directions for sustainable crop production in changing environments.
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/5/2477?utm_source=researchgate.net&utm_medium=article
Rojas-Vásquez, R., Soto, A.H., Arrieta-Espinoza, G. et al. (2026): CRISPR/Cas9 targeted mutagenesis of OsTRE1 rice gene
generates lines with improved physiological responses to salinity under in vitro conditions. Plant Cell Tiss Organ Cult 164, 101 | https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-026-03414-1
Abiotic stresses such as osmotic stress and salinity severely limit rice productivity, while developing stress-tolerant varieties remains a significant challenge. Although trehalose metabolism has been linked to stress adaptation, targeted genome editing of the trehalase gene in rice has not been thoroughly explored. This study uses the CRISPR/Cas9 system to edit the trehalase gene (OsTRE1) in Oryza sativa L. subsp. japonica cv. Nipponbare to evaluate its potential to enhance abiotic stress tolerance. Two sgRNAs targeting different sites within exon 1 were designed, and the CRISPR/Cas9 construct was introduced into embryogenic calli through Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. A total of 15 T0 transgenic lines were obtained, of which six (40%) carried mutations in exon 1. Among these mutants, five (83.3%) were biallelic, displaying insertions, deletions, and substitutions at the target sites, while one mutant (16.7%) was homozygous with two deletions in exon 1. In silico analysis of the predicted amino acid sequences revealed two cases in which editing resulted in the substitution or loss of one or two amino acids. In contrast, most mutations caused large deletions of 98–122 amino acids at the protein N-terminus. T1 targeted-mutagenized lines were evaluated in vitro for tolerance to salinity (200 mM NaCl) and osmotic stress (15% w/v sorbitol). No line showed tolerance to sorbitol; however, several targeted-mutagenized lines exhibited improved salinity tolerance compared with the wild type (WT). Overall, this study provides the first evidence of targeted OsTRE1 mutagenesis in japonica rice and demonstrates that disrupting trehalase function can enhance salinity tolerance. The results obtained in this research support trehalase-focused genome editing as a viable approach for developing salinity-resilient rice varieties. Such varieties may better withstand salinity stress driven by climate change, including seawater intrusion due to sea-level rise or soil salinization caused by reduced precipitation.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11240-026-03414-1
Usländer, A., Haag, M.V., Cheng, AP. et al. (2026). Cross-kingdom RNA interference promotes arbuscular mycorrhiza
development. Nat. Plants | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-026-02247-2
Cross-kingdom RNA interference is an emerging concept in plant–pathogen interactions. Here we provide evidence that cross-kingdom RNA interference also occurs in a beneficial plant symbiosis called arbuscular mycorrhiza. The arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis transfers small RNAs into plant cells, promoting the colonization of host roots. This finding establishes inter-organismal RNA communication as a new regulatory mechanism of this ancient and widespread symbiosis.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41477-026-02247-2
Ghosh P., Goswami A.,Ratnaparkhi P., Goswami A.,Polikarpov I., Sil M.(2026): Evolution of plant gene delivery: From biolistic
to next-generation nanocarriers. Plant Gene 45, 100579 | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plgene.2026.100579
Improvements in plant genetic engineering are required to fulfil world's food security, environmental stability, and biotechnological development needs. Classical transformation protocols like Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, gene gun, electroporation, and PEG-mediated delivery have allowed the introduction of transgenes but are restricted by their species specificity, poor efficiency, and tissue destruction. Nanotechnology has evolved as a revolutionary technology in plant genetic modification by facilitating effective, efficient, and species-unrestricted delivery of DNA, RNA, and protein cargo through the plant cell wall. This article discusses the current advancements in nanoparticle-based gene delivery systems, such as lipoplexes, polyplexes, mesoporous silica nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, magnetic and viral nanoparticles. These systems provide benefits like increased cellular uptake, resistance to enzymatic degradation, and controlled release, while facilitating delivery of genome-editing reagents like CRISPR/Cas9. Additionally, gene delivery systems are key to the facilitation of plant molecular genetics by allowing accurate control and manipulation of target genes. Their combination with genome editing platforms like CRISPR/Cas9 has increased trait improvement approaches in contemporary crop biotechnology. The review investigates the potential of nanomaterials to boost stress tolerance, nutrient uptake, and biosensing, their potential for phytopathogen control, and controlled release of agrochemicals. In spite of their potential, there are concerns over nanoparticle-caused toxicity and environmental burden. Future work will need to focus on creating biodegradable nanomaterials with low toxicity and establishing safety measures for their introduction into agriculture. This review gives a holistic view of the synergy between nanotechnology and plant genetic engineering, the opportunities, the limitations, and prospects for sustainable crop enhancement.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352407326000120