Sunday Evening News 481/ 2026
Weekly report on genetic engineering, genome editing, biotechnology and legal regulation.
June 2026-06-29 - 2026-07-05 Week 27
VERORDNUNG (EU) 2026/1388 DES EUROPÄISCHEN PARLAMENTS UND DES RATES
vom 17. Juni 2026 über mit bestimmten neuen genomischen Techniken gewonnene Pflanzen und die aus ihnen gewonnenen Erzeugnisse sowie zur Änderung der Verordnung (EU) 2017/625. ABl. L vom 26.6.2026
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/DE/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L_202601388
Im 1. Halbjahr 2026 hat die EU-Kommission vier gv-Pflanzen neu zugelassen und für sechs die Zulassung erneuert (https://www.biotech-gm-food.com/eu-zulassungen-2026-gentechnisch-veraenderten-pflanzen-GVO)
Die EFSA hat im 1.Halbjahr 2026 die Sicherheitsbewertung von vier gv-Pflanzen veröffentlicht und zwei weitere abgeschlossen (https://www.wggev.de/aktuell-efsa-sicherheitsbewertungen-pflanzen/)
Im 2. Quartal 2026 hat die EFSA für insgesamt 37 Lebensmittelenzyme die Sicherheitsbewertungen veröffentlicht. 12 beziehen sich auf die Neubewertung aus GMMO, 7 auf die Erweiterungen des Anwendungsspektrum für Lebensmittelenzyme aus GMMO. 14 Lebensmittelenzyme aus konventionellen Mikroorganismen wurden neu bewertet und 4 Bewertungen beziehen sich auf die Erweiterung des Anwendungsspektrums (https://www.biotech-enzymes.com/eu-list-lebensmittelenzyme-efsa-sicherheitsbewertung-2026)).
Lediglich ein Enzym stammt aus der Stichtagsliste, so dass immer noch 14 hier ausstehen.
Das FIP-Panel hat noch für weitere 33 Lebensmittelenzyme die Bewertungen abgeschlossen; die Ergebnisse wurden jedoch noch nicht veröffentlicht.
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REGULATION (EU) 2026/1388 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 17 June 2026 on plants obtained by certain new genomic techniques and their products, and amending Regulation (EU) 2017/625
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L_202601388
In the first half of 2026, the European Commission granted new approvals for four GM crops and renewed approvals for six others (https://www.biotech-gm-food.com/eu-zulassungen-2026-gentechnisch-veraenderten-pflanzen-GVO)
In the first half of 2026, the EFSA published safety assessments for four GM crops and completed assessments for two others (https://www.wggev.de/aktuell-efsa-sicherheitsbewertungen-pflanzen/)
In the second quarter of 2026, the EFSA published safety assessments for a total of 37 food enzymes. Twelve of these relate to the evaluation of food enzymes derived from GMOs, and seven relate to the expansion of the scope of use for food enzymes derived from GMOs. Fourteen food enzymes derived from conventional microorganisms were evaluated, and four evaluations relate to the expansion of the scope of use. (https://www.biotech-enzymes.com/eu-list-lebensmittelenzyme-efsa-sicherheitsbewertung-2026). Only one enzyme is from the cut-off date list, meaning that 14 are still pending.
The FIP Panel has also completed assessments for an additional 33 food enzymes; however, the results have not yet been published.
Meetings – Conferences / Treffen - Veranstaltungen
Münchener Forum Nachaltigkeit:
GENOPOLY 2.0: Die Neue-Gentechnik-Gesetzgebung der EU und ihre Folgen für Landwirtschaft, Ernährung und Natur
Dr. Martha Merten mit Inputs von Dr. Christoph Then & Annemarie Volling
Donnerstag, den 16. Juli 2026, 19.00 Uhr, münchner zukunftssalon (Goethestr. 28, 80336 München) oder Online-Livestream via Zoom
Press Releases - Media / Presse- und Medienberichte
European Biotech Act I
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2026/786421/ECTI_BRI(2026)786421_EN.pdf
Zaruk D.: After the NGT Regulation, Time to Rationalise the GMO Directive
https://www.seedworld.com/europe/2026/07/01/gmo-directive-reform-eu-ngt-regulation/
Hunter T.: The EU Finally Got It Right: How Gene Editing Is About to Reshape Food for the Next Generation
Europe | ECVC: The Hidden Stakes of “New GMOs”
Why Farmers Are Sounding the Alarm on EU Deregulation?
https://viacampesina.org/en/2026/07/europe-ecvc-the-hidden-stakes-of-new-gmos/
AgE: Interview mit Professor Axel Metzger: „Die Politik ist eingeknickt“
https://www.bw-wochenblatt.de/politik/article-11673700-211508/die-politik-ist-eingeknickt-.html
Daubner L., Barghusen R.: Stakeholder Dialog: EU beschließt neue Regel für moderne Gentechnik – Was sich (nicht)
ändert
Grauvogel S.: Zivilcourage entsetzt über EU-Beschluss: „Können jedes Qualitätslabel vergessen"
Das EU-Parlament hat die Regeln für neue Gentechnik gelockert. Die Zivilcourage Miesbach prüft nun eine Klage – denn ab 2028 drohe das Ende aller Gentechnikfrei-Siegel.
Only some selected press releases or media reports are listed here. The daily up-date of the press releases and
media reports are ►here: June-week 27, July 27
Publications – Publikationen
R. LOWE, C., PONFERRADA, V., AQUINO, C.R., COMPANO, R. and NANDA, A., Current and future market applications of
genetically modified microorganisms (GMMs) to be placed on the market or for environmental release, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2026, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2760/2137393, JRC147414.
Genetically modified microorganisms (GMMs) build on a long history of use in industrial processes. With the help of technological advances like gene editing and other new genomic techniques, GMMs are being tailored to surpass the limitations of conventional microbial strains and explore new functionalities. While historically confined to closed systems, activities to expand the use of GMMs to environmental release are growing. Several application areas for GMMs have been identified providing examples of products already commercialised or tested in the field. Out of the 23 startups and scaleups identified as developing GMMs for environmental release, only three were over the age of ten years. The majority were based in the US, with two in the EU. The main application area identified for these startups was agriculture (biofertilisers), with also some activities in biomining (copper-leaching), bioremediation (PFAS remediation), food and beverages (probiotics), and cosmetics and personal care (skin treatments).
In December 2025, the European Commission published a legislative proposal to amend Directive 2001/18/EC as regards the placing on the market of GMMs, as part of the Biotech Act. This report provides an overview of the technological landscape, sectoral applications, and the scaleup and startup ecosystem around GMMs, excluding healthcare and pharmaceuticals, to feed policy discussions on their safe and scalable deployment in support of the green transition.
https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC147414
Kaya C. (2026): Review article: Metabolomics-guided engineering of drought-resilient crops: Integrating multi-omics
and AI for climate-smart agriculture. Plant Science 365, 113025
Drought stress is among the most critical threats to global food security, and its complex impact on plant physiology often exceeds the reach of traditional breeding approaches. Metabolomics has emerged as a transformative tool for dissecting drought responses, enabling dynamic, systems-level characterization of primary and secondary metabolites that mediate osmotic balance, redox homeostasis, and stress acclimation. Building on earlier reviews that primarily focused on stress-associated metabolites, this article emphasizes the integration of metabolomics with cutting-edge technologies, CRISPR-based genome editing, pathway engineering, synthetic biology, and artificial intelligence, to establish a translational framework for drought-resilient cropimprovement. Recent advances in analytical platforms, bioinformatics pipelines, and crop-specific case studies are critically examined to demonstrate how metabolomic signatures can be translated into predictive biomarkers and incorporated into breeding pipelines. In addition, emerging frontiers such as single-cell and spatial metabolomics, ecological metabolomics, and AI-driven predictive modeling are highlighted as promising directions for connecting laboratory discoveries with field-scale applications. By synthesizing technological and biological advances, this review outlines how metabolomics can evolve from a diagnostic tool into a predictive and prescriptive platform, positioning it as a key component of climate-smart agriculture and next-generation crop improvement.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168945226000531
Golla D.A., Sun C., Haugh L., Straub N., Gao X. (20026): Advances in multiplex precision genome editing in eukaryotic and
prokaryotic systems.Current Opinion in Biotechnology 99, 103470 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copbio.2026.103470Get
Multiplex genome editing (MGE) enables coordinated modification of multiple genomic loci and is foundational for engineering complex biological traits. Traditional CRISPR-Cas nuclease-based strategies rely on DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), which limit precision and pose scaling challenges for incorporating simultaneous edits across different loci. Recent advances in genome editing technologies that operate without generating DSBs have expanded the accuracy and feasibility of multiplexed genomic manipulation. This review focuses on emerging strategies for precise MGE, including base editing, prime editing, and related genome rewriting platforms. We highlight key engineering principles that impact the success of scalable multiplexing, including the choice of editing platform, edit size, and guide RNA architecture, and discuss applications across mammalian, plant, fungal, and bacterial systems. Together, these technologies establish MGE as a versatile framework for precise multigene control in biotechnology and agriculture.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958166926000352
Fauser, F., Arangundy-Franklin, S., Davis, J.E. et al. (2026): Retargeted serine integrases for one-step, precise integration of
large DNA sequences in human cells. Nat Biotechnol | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-026-03186-1
Serine integrases can precisely integrate large DNA constructs into desired chromosomal sites but only if their natural target site is first installed into the recipient genome. Here, to retarget serine integrases to a desired genomic site, we develop a modular integrase (MINT) system for genome editing. Through a combination of structural modeling, single-round directed evolution and screening in human cells, we retargeted the specificity of the serine integrase Bxb1. We demonstrate the therapeutic potential of the MINT system by retargeting Bxb1 to the human AAVS1 and TRAC loci, where wild-type Bxb1 has no detectable activity. By combining MINT constructs with both known activity-increasing Bxb1 mutants and zinc-finger DNA-binding domains, we achieve efficiencies of 29% at the AAVS1 locus and 35% at the TRAC locus in K562 cells. To further demonstrate clinical potential, we achieved 29% GFP integration efficiencies at the TRAC locus in human T cells.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41587-026-03186-1
Wonnapinij, P., Kongsil, P., Suttangkakul, A., Kittipadakul, P., & Vuttipongchaikij, S. (2025): Critical insights in cassava functional
genomics: from haplotypes to genome editing. Critical Insights in Plant Science, 1 (1) | https://doi.org/10.1080/29932297.2026.2681346
Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) sustains food security and a rapidly expanding starch economy, yet genetic gain remains constrained by clonal propagation, high heterozygosity, genetic load, long breeding cycles, genotype-by-environment effects, and persistent threats from cassava mosaic disease, cassava brown streak disease, and post-harvest physiological deterioration. Recent long-read, haplotype-resolved assemblies have reframed cassava genomics by resolving the two chromosome copies within elite clones, revealing structural variants, copy-number and presence/absence variation, and allele-specific regulatory differences that are poorly captured by collapsed references. We review how phased assemblies, pangenomes, haplotype maps, and graph-based imputation can shift cassava improvement from proxy single nucleotide polymorphism markers toward causal haplotypes and structural alleles. We discuss how allele-specific expression, transposable-element-associated variation, and methylation divergence connect genome structure to tissue-specific trait biology. Finally, we outline a deployment-oriented framework in which haplotype-informed breeding and allele-specific genome editing provide complementary routes for improving cassava, with parental selection, marker design, quality control, and editing decisions guided by the correct allele and structural context in elite varieties.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/29932297.2026.2681346#abstract
Podralska M., Górska A., Kaczmarek M. (2026): Genome Editing Approaches in Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.): From Tools to
Trait Improvement. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 27 (13), 6012 | https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27136012
Genome editing, particularly CRISPR/Cas-based systems, has emerged as a key tool for functional genomics and trait improvement in flax (Linum usitatissimum L.), an important fiber and oilseed crop. This review focuses specifically on flax as an emerging target species and distinguishes experimentally validated applications from approaches adapted from model plants. Recent progress includes the characterization of endogenous U6 promoters, which improved guide RNA expression and contributed to enhanced genome editing performance under optimized conditions. Reported studies demonstrate efficient targeted mutagenesis in flax; however, editing outcomes remain strongly dependent on genotype, construct design, and regeneration capacity, and stable homozygous edited lines are still limited. Target genes include pathways involved in lignin and cellulose biosynthesis, fatty acid metabolism, and stress responses, influencing fiber quality, oil composition, and stress adaptation. Despite current bottlenecks such as low homologous recombination efficiency and regeneration constraints, base editing, prime editing, and multiplex CRISPR systems provide promising avenues for precision breeding in flax.
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/13/6012
Vázquez-Barrios V., Butler I.A.E., Rojas P., Wegier A. (2026): Transgene introgression into wild cotton populations generates
long-term genetic and ecological effects in a center of origin Environmental Pollution 405, 128502 | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2026.128502
The environmental persistence of genetically modified (GM) traits beyond authorized cultivation areas remains poorly understood, particularly in centers of origin of crop species. Here, we evaluated the presence, genetic configuration, and ecological effects of transgenes introgressed into two sites of the Yucatan Peninsula Metapopulation of Gossypium hirsutum in Mexico. Using molecular detection of GM traits combined with field-based ecological sampling, we found that 47.2% of sampled individuals carried at least one transgene, with cp4-epsps being the most frequently detected modifications (20.8%), followed by cry genes (13.9%) and stacked events (12.5%). Notably, we detected the isolated presence of cry2Ab, suggesting post-introgression segregation and recombination of commercial events under natural conditions. We also assessed indirect ecological effects associated with transgenes by analyzing ant abundance and species richness on wild cotton plants. Ant abundance differed significantly between transgene-positive and transgene-negative plants, with consistent but non-significant trends for species richness, indicating that introgressed GM traits can modify biotic interactions with non-target organisms in natural environments. These effects were detected outside authorized release areas and years after initial commercial deployment of GM cotton. Our findings demonstrate that transgene introgression into wild cotton populations can generate genetically novel configurations and long-term ecological effects not accounted for in current biosafety and environmental risk assessment frameworks, which focus on event stability under controlled conditions and assume limited gene flow. We argue that risk assessments should incorporate post-release evolutionary dynamics and indirect ecological interactions to evaluate the long-term environmental consequences of GM crop cultivation in centers of origin.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749126008729
Cui Y., Li S., Wu H., Zhao X. et al. (2026): Identification and characterization of CsYP in regulating chloroplast development
and cucumber peel color, Horticulture Research 13 (5), 6, uhag043 | https://doi.org/10.1093/hr/uhag043
Skin color is a crucial quality trait in cucumber fruit, yet the regulatory mechanisms underlying cucumber skin color remain poorly understood. In this study, we characterized a cucumber natural mutant displaying yellow peel, and identified a key gene yellow peel (CsYP) through map-based cloning. CsYP encodes a rhodanese-like protein with a Rhod domain. A single-base insertion results in premature termination of protein translation, leading to the yellowing pericarp phenotype in the natural mutant. To further investigate the function of CsYP, two knockout lines, yp-1 and yp-2, were generated using CRISPR-Cas9 technology. Phenotypic investigation of yp-1 and yp-2 revealed a significant yellowing of the pericarp starting from 6 days after pollination, consistent with the natural mutant phenotype. Additionally, our study revealed an interaction between CsYP and Cscytb6f, a cytochrome b6-f complex iron–sulfur subunit, suggesting a collaborative role of CsYP and iron–sulfur proteins in regulating cucumber peel color. These findings provide novel insights into the regulatory mechanisms underlying cucumber peel color and broaden our understanding of this important trait.
https://academic.oup.com/hr/article/13/5/uhag043/8503360
Kumar S., Singh R.M., Gadhave K.R. (2026): CRISPR–Cas systems for plant virus management: detection, surveillance, and
host resistance. Front. Plant Sci., Sec. Plant Biotechnology 17 - 2026 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2026.1804262
The CRISPR–Cas system has transformed genome manipulation by enabling precise and programmable modification of genetic material. Initially developed as a genome-editing tool, CRISPR technologies have expanded from fundamental research to applied use across plant, animal, and microbial systems due to their simplicity, accuracy, and versatility. In agriculture, CRISPR–Cas9 has progressed from crop improvement to host-directed strategies conferring resistance against a broad range of plant viruses. Concurrently, the discovery of additional Cas effector proteins, particularly Cas12a and Cas13a, has enabled highly sensitive nucleic acid–based diagnostic platforms supporting rapid, field-deployable pathogen detection. Here, we present a focused synthesis integrating CRISPR-mediated host resistance engineering with CRISPR-based diagnostic surveillance within a unified framework for plant virus management. Unlike previous reviews that treat these domains independently, we emphasize their convergence in enabling early detection, real-time surveillance, and targeted intervention across the disease cycle. Cas12a-based systems, currently the most widely implemented, have been coupled with isothermal amplification and visual readouts for rapid virus detection, whereas Cas13a-based platforms offer direct RNA targeting with potential for simplified workflows, although they remain less developed. We examine key design considerations, performance characteristics, and limitations of these platforms, including challenges related to sensitivity, multiplexing, and field deployment. Finally, we highlight future directions, including vector-based detection, multiplex diagnostics, and integration of CRISPR technologies into scalable surveillance systems. Collectively, this review positions CRISPR-based genome editing and diagnostics as complementary components of a next-generation strategy for plant virus detection, surveillance, and management.
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2026.1804262/full
Catto M.A., Xu J., Murray K.A.a, Emma Leigh M. Bossard E.L.M, et al. (2026): Integrative assessment of sulfoxaflor effects on
gene expression, reproduction, and behavior in the bumblebee Bombus impatiens. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 315, 120101 | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2026.120101
Social insect pollinators, such as bumblebees, face increasing threats from environmental agrochemicals; yet the sublethal effects of these compounds across different levels of biological organization remain poorly understood. This study uses an integrative approach to examine how chronic exposure to sublethal concentrations of the insecticide sulfoxaflor affects the common eastern bumblebee (Bombus impatiens). Microcolonies of B. impatiens worker bees were fed sulfoxaflor-treated sugar water for 21 days. We then assessed changes in molecular, physiological, and behavioral traits resulting from sulfoxaflor exposure. Transcriptomic analysis revealed extensive differential gene expression in ovaries, but not brains, of exposed bees. Bees exposed to sulfoxaflor showed upregulated cellular signaling pathways and downregulated genes associated with oogenesis and mitosis. Moreover, sulfoxaflor-exposed bees showed reduced tissue-biased gene expression, suggesting broader disruption in tissue-specific regulation. At the physiological level, exposed workers exhibited disrupted ovarian development and produced significantly fewer eggs. In addition, sulfoxaflor-exposed bees displayed significantly increased stinging behavior and decreased leg lifting behavior. Finally, exposed microcolonies exhibited reduced sugar water consumption and impaired nest building. Overall, these results indicate that reproductive tissues are more sensitive to sulfoxaflor exposure than neural tissues and that molecular disruptions manifest in impaired physiology and colony-level behaviors. This study highlights the value of assessing multiple levels of biological organization when investigating the nonlethal yet ecologically significant effects of agrochemicals on pollinator health.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651326004306?via%3Dihub
Khanal D., Biswas S., Ravelombola W., Thomson M.J., Septiningsih E.M. (2026): CRISPR/Cas9-based targeted Lipoxygenase-2
gene editing in mungbean via transient transformation assays. Current Plant Biology 48, 100637 | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpb.2026.100637
Lipoxygenase 2 converts polyunsaturated fatty acids into volatile compounds, imparting an undesirable beany flavor to processed mungbean products. This experiment aims to assess the suitability of CRISPR/Cas9-based genetic modification of mungbean using protoplasts and agroinfiltration transient transformation assays. Robust and viable protoplasts were isolated using the tape sandwich method. Protoplast transfection was carried out using 40% PEG. A binary CRISPR/Cas9 construct targeting the Lipoxygenase 2 gene was agroinfiltrated into the abaxial leaf surface of two-week-old seedlings. Higher protoplast yield was obtained from fully grown, unifoliate leaves from 7-day-old seedlings compared to 12-day-old seedlings. The CaMV 35S promoter and CmYLCV are the best fits for transgene expression in mungbean and were selected for Cas9 and gRNA expression, respectively. Protoplast transformation with 5 min of PEG incubation achieved the highest transformation efficiency (∼55%), compared to 15 and 30 min of PEG incubation. Mutations were detected by linear amplicon sequencing of the PCR-amplified target region. Transformed protoplasts showed a combination of mutation types, primarily insertion/deletions, with some substitutions on all gRNA target sites. Additionally, robust RUBY pigmentation and GUS expression were obtained, indicating successful transient expression of T-DNA. In the agroinfiltration assay, mutations were detected at target sites guided by gRNA1 and gRNA2. Hence, an efficient method for assessing CRISPR/Cas9 activity in mungbean using protoplast transformation and agroinfiltration was established. This study provides a practical foundation for future efforts towards CRISPR/Cas9-mediated targeted modification of the Lipoxygenase 2 gene via stable transformation to potentially reduce undesirable beany flavor in mungbean.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214662826000599
EFSA
GMO Panel (2026): Assessment of genetically modified soybean FG72 for renewal authorisation under Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003
(dossier GMFF-2025-33580). EFSA Journal, 24(7), e10179. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2026.10179
https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2026.10179
FEZ Panel (2026): Safety evaluation of the food enzyme triacylglycerol lipase from the genetically modified Trichoderma reesei strain
DP-Nzk118. EFSA Journal, 24(7), e10175. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2026.10175
https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2026.10175