Sunday Evening News 470 / 2026
Weekly report on genetic engineering, genome editing, biotechnology and legal regulation.
April 2026-04-13 - April 2026-04-19 Week 16 -2026
Press Releases - Media / Presse- und Medienberichte
Council: Draft REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on plants obtained by certain new genomic
techniques and their products, and amending Regulation (EU) 2017/625 (first reading) - Adoption of the Council’s position at first reading and of the statement of the Council’s reasons = Statements
https://www.parlament.gv.at/dokument/XXVIII/EU/67505/imfname_11603826.pdf
Draft REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on plants obtained by certain new genomic techniques and their products, and amending Regulation (EU) 2017/625 (first reading) - Adoption of the Council’s position at first reading and of the statement of the Council’s reasons
https://www.parlament.gv.at/dokument/XXVIII/EU/67406/imfname_11603561.pdf
GM Watch: Biotech lobby groups are set to trap farmers and breeders in patent minefield
https://www.gmwatch.org/en/106-news/latest-news/20653
Informationsdienst Gentechnik: Verordnung zur neuen Gentechnik: Der Ball liegt jetzt beim Parlament
GGSC: „Ohne Gentechnik“ muss auch neue Gentechnik ausschließen!
Juristische Analyse: „Ohne Gentechnik“ muss auch neue Gentechnik ausschließen
Röttig B.: dm-Geschäftsführerin im Interview „Für uns überwiegen derzeit die Risiken“ – weshalb die Drogeriekette
bei neuer Gentechnik skeptisch bleibt
Testbiotech: Wird „fette Gerste“ die erste NGT-Pflanze in Europa? - Kommerzieller Anbau in England beantragt
https://www.testbiotech.org/aktuelles/wird-fette-gerste-die-erste-ngt-pflanze-in-europa/
siehe auch: https://www.wggev.de/genomeditierte-gerste-zulassung-england/
Will ‘fat barley’ become the first NGT plant grown in Europe?
https://www.testbiotech.org/en/news/will-fat-barley-become-the-first-ngt-plant-grown-in-europe/
Only some selected press releases or media reports are listed here. The daily up-date of the press releases and
media reports are ►here: April 16/2026
Publications – Publikationen
Marchal, I. (2026): Voices of biotech leaders. Nat Biotechnol 44, 354–357 | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-026-03038-y
(pdf-file vorhanden)
Chen J., Liu T., Xia Y., Barth L., Plieske J., Gnad H. et al. (2026): Satellite DNA-targeted CRISPR/Cas9-mediated editing
enables chromosome truncation and elimination in wheat. Plant Communications. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xplc.2026.101833
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590346226001410
Grantina-Ievina L. and Rostoks N. (2026): Gene Flow and Hybridization Potential Between GM/NGT Crops and Conventional
Varieties or Wild Relatives: A Scoping Literature Review with Emphasis on Oilseed Rape (Brassica napus L.) and Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) BioTech 15, 30 | https://doi.org/10.3390/biotech15020030
Genetically modified (GM) plants have been commercially grown for 30 years, and their acceptance depends on a thorough risk assessment. Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) evaluates potential impacts of releasing GM plants into the environment, whether through cultivation or import for food, feed, and processing. A key component is assessing potential gene flow to crop wild relatives or non-GM crops. For gene flow to significantly affect the environment, transferred genes must provide a selective advantage. Since most GM plants are engineered for herbicide tolerance, insect resistance, or stacked traits, evaluating such advantages is relatively straightforward. New genomic techniques (NGTs) can generate plants with a wider range of traits, including tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress. Although still considered GM in the EU, their genomic changes can complicate detection, identification, and ERA, especially when such traits may offer advantages under stress conditions. This scoping review focuses on gene flow in two crops: oilseed rape (canola) (Brassica napus L.) and potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). In canola, transgene movement can increase weediness, fitness, herbicide resistance, or genetic diversity in feral or related populations. Gene flow in potato is less studied, with concerns centered on contamination risks in the Andean diversity center. Limited data exist for NGT plants, though many are expected to resemble conventionally bred varieties, suggesting comparable environmental impacts.
https://www.mdpi.com/2673-6284/15/2/30
Kim A.Y., Lee B., Choi D., Lee H.Y. (2026): Genetically modified foods and human health: a comprehensive review and
cross-national time-trend analysis, GM Crops & Food, 17:1, 2634489, DOI: 10.1080/21645698.2026.2634489
GMOs have remained at the center of scientific and societal debate since their regulatory authorization and subsequent market introduction in the 1990 s. This review synthesizes epidemiological evidence from the literature, including observational studies and prior systematic reviews, alongside international policy frameworks, to evaluate potential associations between GMO exposure and human health. Current evidence does not support consistent causal links between GMO consumption and cancer, reproductive toxicity, allergies, or other chronic diseases. We systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science, and international health databases, applied predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, and synthesized national-level epidemiological data using time-trend and Joinpoint regression analyses. Across countries and disease categories, no consistent temporal alignment was observed between GMO authorization and changes in disease incidence, and pooled breakpoint analyses showed heterogeneous patterns with estimates frequently overlapping zero. Overall, the findings provide no consistent epidemiological support for associations between GMO consumption and major chronic diseases.
https://doi.org/10.1080/21645698.2026.2634489
Alavez, V., Acevedo, F., Casas, A. et al (2026): Evolutionary processes shaping wild-to-domesticated plant complexes:
insights toward the conservation of agrobiodiversity. Genet Resour Crop Evol 73, 146. | https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-026-02769-w
Plant domestication is a key evolutionary process that has shaped global agrobiodiversity. While most research focuses on contrasting wild relatives and domesticated varieties exhibiting pronounced domestication syndromes, relatively little attention has been given to the diversity within the wild-to-domesticated continuum. This paper presents a framework for understanding these populations and highlights the importance of overlooked populations within the domesticated spectrum. The paper explores the evolutionary processes—both natural and human-mediated—that shape wild-to-domesticated complexes, emphasizing gene flow as a key evolutionary force. Additionally, we examine the legal considerations surrounding the conservation and management of these systems, addressing the regulatory challenges and opportunities for preserving the wild-to-domesticated continuum. Finally, this work highlights the relevance of conservation genomics for safeguarding these interconnected systems and advocates for an integrated, multidisciplinary approach to strengthen the resilience of agricultural landscapes.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10722-026-02769-w
English, M., Nalley, L.L., McFadden, B.R. et al. (2026): Differentiating GM technologies: South African consumer perceptions
of water efficient maize for Africa. npj Sustain. Agric. 4, 34 https://doi.org/10.1038/s44264-026-00143-y
Genetically modified (GM) crops, particularly drought-tolerant varieties, offer a potential solution to food insecurity induced by climate change in South Africa. However, their acceptance has been hindered by political ambiguity and public resistance. This study focuses on South Africa, where in 2024 the Supreme Court of Appeals overturned the commercial approval of MON87460, a GM drought-tolerant maize event. MON87460 aimed to reduce yield loss during drought conditions. Despite the approval of GM crops in South Africa since 1997, public skepticism persists, with environmental groups invoking the precautionary principle to challenge the introduction of new GM varieties. Through a choice experiment with 2598 South African maize consumers, this study examines how information about the benefits of drought-tolerant GM maize influences consumer preferences vis-à-vis non-GM maize and other GM traits (herbicide and insect tolerance). Results show that when consumers are informed about the benefits of WEMA, their preference for GM-WEMA maize increases, highlighting the potential of information campaigns to improve acceptance. Our results suggest that enhancing consumer knowledge about the advantages of drought-tolerant GM maize could help facilitate its adoption. Our results underscore the need for balanced regulatory frameworks that support innovation in plant breeding while addressing public concerns about GM crops.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s44264-026-00143-y
Kim, I.K., Tian, L., Chaffee, R. et al. (2026): Seed dormancy shapes gene drive dynamics in plants. Nat. Plants |
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-026-02256-1
Gene drives offer revolutionary potential for the management of problematic plant populations, such as invasive weeds and herbicide-resistant species, by rapidly spreading desired genetic alterations. Two recent studies have provided experimental demonstrations of engineered CRISPR gene drive systems in plants (CAIN and ClvR). However, the successful application of such systems in the field will critically depend on an accurate understanding of plant-specific life-history traits, especially seed dormancy, a ubiquitous yet frequently overlooked eco-evolutionary force. In this study, we develop a comprehensive modelling framework for gene drives in plant populations that incorporates a persistent soil seed bank. We show how the presence of a seed bank can substantially slow gene drive spread but also reduce the genetic load required to achieve population elimination. Furthermore, we show that seed banks substantially increase the required introduction frequency of threshold-dependent gene drives, which could prevent establishment in some cases, yet also provide an intrinsic biosafety mechanism for confining a highly efficient drive to a target population. Our study highlights the need to incorporate seed-bank dynamics into gene drive strategies to ensure realistic predictions and successful field applications.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41477-026-02256-1
Pereira L., Alenazi A.S., Mian, S., LeitchJ. Et al. (2026): Gene turnover in the common ancestor of all C4grasses,
Plants, People, Planet | DOI: 10.1002/ppp3.70206
Societal Impact Statement: Understanding how plants evolve more efficient photosynthesis is important in a warming world where improving crop productivity and resilience is a global priority. By generating the first reference genomes for an early-diverging group of grasses called the Aristidoideae, we were able to reconstruct the genetic makeup of the last common ancestor of all grasses that use C4 photosynthesis that is more efficient in hot climates. We show that early genetic changes in this lineage may have laid the groundwork for the later evolution of C4 photosynthesis. These findings help explain how complex biological innovations can repeatedly arise yet often remain restricted to particular evolutionary lineages.
Summary: In grasses, almost all species belong to two evenly sized clades: BOP (Bambusoideae, Oryzoideae and Pooideae) and PACMAD (Panicoideae, Arundinoideae, Chloridoideae, Micrairoideae, Aristidoideae and Danthonioideae). Yet the >20 independent origins of C4 photosynthesis are confined to the PACMAD lineage. This pattern suggests that PACMAD grasses may harbour genetic features that primed them for the repeated evolution of this trait. To investigate this possibility, we examine gene turnover to identify genetic components that potentially facilitated the repeated evolution of C4 photosynthesis and were present at the base of the PACMAD clade, representing the last common ancestor of all C4 grasses.
We generated the first reference genomes for Aristidoideae species (Aristida adscensionis and Stipagrostis hirtigluma), the sister lineage of all other PACMAD grasses. In combination with 34 other Poales genomes, we identify genes gained at the base of the PACMAD clade and genes lost in the sister BOP lineage.
Gene expansion at the base of the PACMAD lineage includes one with a known C4 function (β-carbonic anhydrase), as well as genes involved in amino acid and nitrate transport, carbon metabolism, oxidative stress management and transcription regulation.
Gene turnover in the PACMAD stem lineage generated novel variation in the last common ancestor of all C4 grasses. Although this predates the emergence of C4 photosynthesis itself, these changes may have generated the genetic substrate and requirements for the repeated emergence of C4 photosynthesis in this clade.
https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ppp3.70206
Quan Y., Wang L., Li X., Huang L. et al. (2026): Commercial planting of genetically modified maize lowers pest damage,
yield loss and pesticide usage in Northeast China. Pest Management Science | https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.70796
BACKGROUND: Lepidopteran herbivores and weeds greatly constrain the productivity of maize globally. Genetically modified (GM) maize lines expressing insecticidal cry genes and herbicide-tolerant epsps genes are widely adopted in the continental America, but their uptake is restricted in many parts of the other countries. Northeast China, which is the largest maize planting area of the country, GM maize with both Bt insecticidal and herbicide tolerance genes was commercially released in 2021 and its cultivation reached 250 000 ha in 2023. Here, we investigated the performance of GM maize in terms of pest damage, yield loss and pesticide usage, amongst other metrics, to assess the safety and benefits.
RESULT: We show how GM maize achieved >99% control of the locally prevailing lepidopteran pests and permitted 97% herbicidal weed control over a 3-year period. As compared to non-GM maize, GM maize yields increased by 4.6–10.1%, mycotoxin contamination levels were reduced by 91.7–95.6% and farmers' net income (under subsidized seed prices) rose by US$276–332 ha−1. Both insecticide and herbicide application frequencies in GM maize decreased significantly.
CONCLUSION: Our work underlines how GM maize curbs pesticide use intensity, upholds food security and allays food safety concerns. When tactically paired with biological control and the agroecological components of integrated pest management, GM maize could provide durable crop protection and shrink the environmental footprint of agriculture in China. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.
Di Pierro, F., Thacharodi, A., Kumaraswami, M. et al. (2026): From lab to law: emerging applications, potential benefits,
evolving regulatory framework and challenges for engineered probiotics. Microb Cell Fact | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12934-026-02997-w
Engineered probiotics are emerging as versatile biological platforms capable of delivering therapeutic functions, modulating host–microbiota interactions, and enabling innovative strategies for preventing or treating metabolic, infectious, and inflammatory conditions. Advances in synthetic biology have expanded microbial engineering along a continuum ranging from self-cloned or intragenic modifications—based on deletions or recombination events that recapitulate naturally plausible genomic changes—to fully transgenic constructs expressing heterologous bacterial, viral, or human genes. This technological diversity demands proportionate and mechanistically informed safety evaluation, with particular emphasis on genetic stability, ecological compatibility, and the potential for horizontal gene transfer (HGT). This review examines the principal applications of engineered probiotics in human health, including strains designed to enhance endogenous functions, eliminate detrimental activities, neutralize toxins, interfere with pathogen signaling, degrade biofilms, express therapeutic proteins, act as mucosal vaccine platforms, serve as tumor-targeted immunotherapeutic vectors, or enable emerging systemic and brain-directed delivery strategies. We also highlight the current regulatory heterogeneity across international frameworks and discuss the relevance of recent EFSA guidance, which clarifies that modifications involving only deletions or the reinsertion of native sequences may entail markedly different regulatory obligations compared with constructs carrying truly novel genetic traits. To promote regulatory convergence, we propose a unified safety-assessment framework that integrates classical toxicological testing with a construct-specific evaluation of HGT potential. This approach combines whole-genome sequencing to define the engineered locus, validated qPCR assays for highly specific detection, and controlled exposure experiments using competent microbiota and environmental recipient strains to quantify the extremely low probability of gene transfer under worst-case conditions. Such a structured methodology provides a scalable, evidence-driven basis for evaluating engineered probiotics according to the biological nature of the modification rather than a one-size-fits-all model. Engineered probiotics hold substantial translational promise, provided that safety assessments remain adaptive, risk-proportionate, and aligned with mechanistic understanding of microbial genetics and ecology.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12934-026-02997-w
EFSA
GMO Panel (2026): Assessment of additional information related to genetically modified oilseed rape MS11 (application EFSA-GMO-
BE-2016-138). EFSA Journal, 24 (4), e10016. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2026.10016
https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2026.10016
FEZ Panel (2026): Safety evaluation of a food enzyme containing leucyl aminopeptidase, oryzin and aspergillopepsin I from the
non-genetically modified Aspergillus sp. strain AE-PR. EFSA Journal, 24 (4), e10013 | https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2026.10013
https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2026.10013
FEZ Panel (2026): Safety evaluation of a food enzyme containing endo-polygalacturonase, pectinesterase and pectin lyase activities
from the non-genetically modified Aspergillus niger strain CCTCC M 2023236. EFSA Journal, 24 (4), e10019. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2026.10019
https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2026.10019