Sunday Evening News 399 - Week 44 - 2024
Weekly report on genetic engineering, genome editing, biotechnology and legal regulation.
Oktober 2024-10-28 - 2024-11-03
Wenn der Wind des Wandels weht, bauen die einen Schutzmauern, die anderen Windmühlen
Chinesisches Sprichwort
When the winds of change blow, some build protective walls, others build windmills
Chinese saying
EU commissioner hearing – Anhörung der designierten EU-Kommissare/innen
EU-Parlament: Anhörungenen zur Bestätigung der Europäischen Kommission
https://elections.europa.eu/european-commission/de/
Zeitplan: https://hearings.elections.europa.eu/documents/timetable/programme_hearings_en.pdf
Parlamentarische Anhörungen der designierten Kommissionsmitglieder - Ein entscheidender Schritt bei der Amtseinführung
Designiertem EU-Gesundheitskommissar steht heikle Anhörung bevor
Wax E.: Forget the US election — EU commissioner hearings are the real global event
Kocsis L., Maurice E. Confirmation hearings 2024: How will the Commission fulfil the promises of von der Leyen II?
https://www.epc.eu/content/Commission_Compendium_v6.pdf
EPP set to shape commissioner hearings in power consolidation push
The long-awaited hearings provide the EPP another chance to flex its considerable influence in Parliament and ensure the new Commission is to its liking.
Meetings - Tagungen
Podiumsdiskussion "Neue Gentechnik" Ort: Evangelische Akademie Sachsen-Anhalt, 06886 Luth. Wittenberg, Schlossplatz 1d
16.11.2024, 11.00 Uhr
https://ev-akademie-wittenberg.de/core_event/?event-id=2024-39
Press Releases - Media / Presse- und Medienberichte
BfR: BfR-Verbrauchermonitor 02 | 2024
https://www.bfr.bund.de/cm/350/bfr-verbrauchermonitor-02-2024.pdf
POINT NEWSLETTER NR. 268 – OKTOBER 2024 - Aktuelle Biotechnologie
https://www.scienceindustries.ch/_file/36810/point-2024-10-268-d.pdf
VLOG: Weltweit kaum NGT-Pflanzen marktreif, kaum klimaresiliente Sorten
English version: https://www.ohnegentechnik.org/en/news/article/hardly-any-ngt-plants-ready-to-market-worldwide-hardly-any-climate-resilient-varieties
VLOG: Status Quo und Perspektiven eines neuen Gentechnikrechts
https://www.ohnegentechnik.org/artikel/status-quo-und-perspektiven-eines-neuen-gentechnikrechts
English-version: https://www.ohnegentechnik.org/en/news/article/status-quo-and-prospects-for-new-genetic-engineering-regulations
DG AGRI: EU Commission appoints new Sustainability Director
USDA: Adoption of Genetically Engineered Crops in the United States
Krawinkel M.: Warum kein Mensch Goldenen Reis braucht
https://www.fr.de/wissen/warum-kein-mensch-goldenen-reis-braucht-93382597.html
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 44
Publications – Publikationen
Dubock, A. (2024): The Sustainable Development Goals are Unattainable without a Change of Nutritional Strategy.
Medical Research Archives, [online] 12(8). | https://doi.org/10.18103/mra.v12i10.5818
For decades, vitamin A supplementation and chemical fortification have been used to reduce micronutrient malnutrition, a key part of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 2: "Zero Hunger" by 2030. Despite these efforts, 50% of pre-school children and 66% of women of reproductive age globally remain malnourished, with nearly 900 million children vitamin A deficient. Micronutrient deficiency, especially in Low -and-Middle-Income-countries, impedes individual and population productivity.
However, neither supplementation nor chemical fortification is sustainable or addresses the root causes of micronutrient deficiencies, as both require continuous external funding. The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition’s (GAIN’s) focus on Large-Scale- Food-Fortification with chemicals, while helpful, remains insufficient and unsustainable.
In 2009, Prof. Al Sommer emphasized the need for sustainable solutions, with biofortification, including Golden Rice, offering promising alternatives. The World Bank recommended biofortified crops, including specifically GMO-crops like Golden Rice, in 2017 as a sustainable option. Recurrent costs are minimal once seeds are available.
Golden Rice, now available in Bangladesh, requires only one local policy decision for implementation, setting a precedent for other crops.
The Philippine Government has adopted Golden Rice since 2021 to improve public health. However, Greenpeace has opposed it globally for decades, and in 2022, they challenged the Government’s efforts. On August 15, 2024, the Philippines Appeal Court upheld Greenpeace’s complaint, halting Golden Rice adoption.
Golden Rice has only been developed in Bangladesh and the Philippines. There is an urgent need to counteract Greenpeace’s malign influence and expand the countries where Golden Rice and eventually all biofortified crops can be deployed as a sustainable public health intervention.
https://esmed.org/MRA/mra/article/view/5818/99193548477
Thygesen P. (2024): Regulation of genome edited organisms in Australia.
Transgenic Res | https://doi.org/10.1007/s11248-024-00411-y
Whether organisms developed with the use of genome editing techniques, or food derived from such organisms, are, or should be, regulated as genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or genetically modified (GM) food, respectively, remains a subject of debate globally. Much of the discussion has been scientific and focussed on the similar genetic outcomes of some genome editing techniques and ‘conventional’ or natural mutagenesis. Many jurisdictions, including Australia, have considered, or are considering, how their regulatory frameworks will deal with such organisms and products. In Australia, organisms developed with site directed nuclease 1 (SDN-1, with no added template to guide homology-directed repair) are not regulated as GMOs, pursuant to exclusions in the Gene Technology Regulations 2001. The exclusion of SDN-1 organisms from regulation in Australia is sometimes misrepresented, including in scientific peer reviewed publications, as extending to all genome edited organisms. This highlights the importance for researchers, developers and other stakeholders to understand that whether genome edited organisms are, or are not, subject to regulation as GMOs in a particular jurisdiction may quintessentially be a legal question, not a scientific one.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11248-024-00411-y Paper is available via this link https://rdcu.be/dX2he
Rabuma T, Moronta-Barrios F and Craig W. (2024): Navigating biosafety regulatory frameworks for genetic engineering in
Africa: a focus on genome editing and gene drive technologies. Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol. 12:1483279. | https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2024.1483279
Genome editing and gene drive technologies are increasingly gaining attraction in Africa, with researchers exploring their potential applications in agriculture, health and the environment. Acknowledging that robust regulatory frameworks are crucial in facilitating the development and utilization of these technologies, informed decision-making is, however, being impeded by the fragmented information availability and readiness of regulatory authorities on the continent.
Objectives: This study investigates the regulatory frameworks governing genome editing and gene drive technologies in African countries, identifies common regulatory challenges and proposes actionable solutions.
Methods: Primary data were collected through questionnaires and complemented by analysing existing biosafety regulations from online databases and scientific literature.
Results: Our findings suggest that while a few African countries have recently updated their regulatory frameworks, many are still under discussion. Challenges to development and implementation include limited resources, expertise, awareness, and public resistance.
Conclusion: The findings underscore the urgent need for further development in regulatory capacities. By shedding light on these challenges, our study could provide African regulators with valuable insights to guide the formulation of effective regulatory frameworks. Such frameworks are essential for harnessing the potential of genome editing and gene drive technologies while safeguarding human health and the environment in Africa.
Mmbando, G. S., & Ngongolo, K. (2024): The current status of the use of genetic modification and editing to improve
biodiversity and ecological sustainability. All Life, 17(1) | https://doi.org/10.1080/26895293.2024.2417191
Technologies like genetic modification and editing (GME) present exciting opportunities to improve ecological sustainability and biodiversity. They do, however, have several ethical quandaries. The advantages and challenges of using GME in the context of ecosystem restoration and strategies for mitigating climate change remained poorly unknown. This review highlights the current use of GME technologies in biodiversity, ecological integrity, and wildlife conservation for protecting a species’ genetic integrity and promoting environmental adaptation. We found that the slow use of GME technologies was due to the public's varied ethical perspectives, which are influenced by cultural, religious, and ethical consumerism factors. This study emphasizes the critical need for open and honest regulations, stakeholder involvement, and moral standards to successfully negotiate the morally complex dilemmas of genetic modification and editing technologies for biodiversity conservation and a sustainable future.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/26895293.2024.2417191?src=
Mou R., Niu R., Yang R, Xu G. (2024): Engineering crop performance with upstream open reading frames. Trends in Plant
Science | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2024.10.005
Plants intricately regulate the expression of protein-coding genes at multiple stages – including mRNA transcription, translation, decay, and protein degradation – to control growth, development, and responses to environmental challenges. Recent research highlights the importance of translational reprogramming as a pivotal mechanism in regulating gene expression across diverse physiological scenarios. This regulatory mechanism bears practical implications, particularly in bolstering crop productivity by manipulating RNA regulatory elements (RREs) to modulate heterologous gene expression through transgene and endogenous gene expression through gene editing. Here, we elucidate the potential of upstream open reading frames (uORFs), a prominent and stringent class of RREs, in optimizing crop performance, exemplifying the efficacy of translational control in enhancing agricultural yields.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1360138524002735
Sardos J, Cenci A, Martin G, et al.(2024): Painting the diversity of a world’s favorite fruit: A next generation catalog of
cultivated bananas. Plants People Planet. ppp3.10581. doi: 10.1002/ppp3.10581
Societal Impact Statement: Bananas are nutritious fruits of major importance worldwide. Characterizing their diversity is essential to ensure their conservation and use. A catalog showcasing cultivated bananas genomic diversity was compiled and is to be used as a tool to support the classification of banana cultivars. This research revealed that cultivated banana groups are not all made of identical clones. Materials from recent collecting missions indicated that more banana diversity is expected to be found as the exploration of the banana gene pool continues. These discoveries will drive dynamic conservation strategies for banana genetic resources and should increase their use.
Summary: Banana is an important food crop cultivated in many tropical and subtropical regions around the world. Because banana cultivars often have low fertility, they are typically propagated clonally, which maintains desirable traits across generations. However, different factors, such as synonymy, incomplete passport data, and environmental effects, complicate the morphological-based assignment of banana cultivars to specific clones or cultivar groups.
In this study, we applied a previously developed genomic-based tool for fine-scale characterization of banana ancestry, known as in silico chromosome painting, to high-throughput genotyping data from 317 banana accessions. This dataset covers most of the globally conserved, studied, and cultivated cultivar groups and includes both genebanks and new, uncharacterized materials.
By comparing curated morphological assignation to the genomic patterns resulting from in silico chromosome painting, we compiled a diversity catalog referencing curated passport data, pictures, and chromosome painting patterns of the cultivar groups.
Examining the genomic patterns obtained, intra-cultivar group variability was discovered. In some cultivar groups, mitotic recombination or deletions accumulated clonally. In addition, at least four cultivar groups encompassed cultivars from distinct sexual events co-existing, notably Pisang Awak with five distinct patterns across two ploidy levels. Finally, additional patterns were discovered in the newest materials of the set, showing that a wider diversity of clones still exists on farm.
https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ppp3.10581
Kaupbayeva, B.; Tsoy, A.;Safarova, Y.; Nurmagambetova, A.;Murata, H.; Matyjaszewski, K.;Askarova, S. (2024): Unlocking
Genome Editing: Advances and Obstacles in CRISPR/Cas Delivery Technologies. J.Funct. Biomater. 2024, 15, 324. | https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb15110324
CRISPR/Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats associated with protein 9) was first identified as a component of the bacterial adaptive immune system and subsequently engineered into a genome-editing tool. The key breakthrough in this field came with the realization that CRISPR/Cas9 could be used in mammalian cells to enable transformative genetic editing. This technology has since become a vital tool for various genetic manipulations, including gene knockouts, knock-in point mutations, and gene regulation at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. CRISPR/Cas9 holds great potential in human medicine, particularly for curing genetic disorders. However, despite significant innovation and advancement in genome editing, the technology still possesses critical limitations, such as off-target effects, immunogenicity issues, ethical considerations, regulatory hurdles, and the need for efficient delivery methods. To overcome these obstacles, efforts have focused on creating more accurate and reliable Cas9 nucleases and exploring innovative delivery methods. Recently, functional biomaterials and synthetic carriers have shown great potential as effective delivery vehicles for CRISPR/Cas9 components. In this review, we attempt to provide a comprehensive survey of the existing CRISPR-Cas9 delivery strategies, including viral delivery, biomaterials-based delivery, synthetic carriers, and physical delivery techniques. We underscore the urgent need for effective delivery systems to fully unlock the power of CRISPR/Cas9 technology and realize a seamless transition from benchtop research to clinical applications.
https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4983/15/11/324
The ERC pioneering years: Scientific assessment of completed ERC projects. FP7 review (2015-2022)
https://erc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2024-10/ERC_pioneering_years.pdf
McFadden, B.R., Nalley, L.L., Durand-Morat, A. et al. (2024): Potential response of Mexican consumers to a Ban on genetically
modified Maize imports. Food Sec. 16, 1301–1311 | https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-024-01483-8
Mexico enacted a decree to ban the sale of genetically modified (GM) maize seed and maize for human consumption. Maize is particularly important to the average diet in Mexico as it is the main feed for the primary source of protein (poultry) and the main ingredient for the primary source of calories (corn tortillas). This study aimed to assess consumer awareness of the decree, support for the decree, and sensitivity of support given possible economic outcomes related to the decree. Additionally, we estimate the premiums consumers were willing to pay (WTP) for non-GM products relative to GM products (i.e., chicken meat, eggs, and corn tortillas). Results show that 54% of the Mexicans were unaware of the ban and that 77% of those aware supported the ban. Many consumers were willing to pay premiums to cover potential price increases due to the ban; however, not all low-income consumers would pay the potential premiums. Focusing on low-income consumers is particularly important, given they will likely be affected disproportionately more by the burden of increased food prices.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12571-024-01483-8
Dinh H.H., Le T.H., Wesseler J. (2024): How contracted tree farmers engage in and benefit from inclusive value chains:
Evidence from Vietnam. Forest Policy and Economics 169, 103357 | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2024.103357
In contrast to agricultural crops, long-term tree contract farming (CF) for high-quality timber production under sustainable forest practices contributes to social and economic development, as well as environmental conservation. However, there is limited understanding and insufficient literature on the motivations and benefits of tree growers participating in timber and its associated value chains. This study aims to address these gaps by examining the factors influencing tree grower participation in the tree CF model in Vietnam. We analyzed national panel data of 1272 timber plots in 12 provinces from 2008 to 2018 using penalized maximum likelihood estimation. Additionally, we conducted a local survey of 55 tree producers and stakeholders to compare the household financial performances under the contract versus non-contract and their benefits in the respective value chain. Our findings confirm that households benefit significantly from CF and gain more by delaying harvest for three additional years with forest certification, compared to harvesting timber at year five for woodchips. We recommend increased investment from international and national businesses, as well as government programs, to support tree CF. Future research should explore the roles and impacts of various stakeholders and intervention to better understand and improve tree CF and their inclusive value chains.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1389934124002119
EFSA
GMO Panel (2024): Statement complementing the EFSA Scientific Opinion on application (EFSA-GMO-NL-2015-126) for authorisation
of food and feed containing, consisting of and produced from genetically modified soybean MON 87705 × MON 87708 × MON 89788. EFSA Journal, 22(10), e9061. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2024.9061
https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2024.9061
Radio S., Di Marsico M., Bersani C., Malinverni R., Casacuberta J., Corpetti C., Aiese Cigliano R., Sanseverino W. (2024):
Development of a roadmap for action on the application of Omics and associated Bioinformatics Approaches in Risk Assessment. EFSA supporting publication 2024: 21(10):EN-9086. 181 pp. doi:10.2903/sp.efsa.2024.EN-9086
The implementation of omics technologies and associated bioinformatics approaches hold significant promise for generating additional evidence for food and feed risk assessments thereby enhancing the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) capacity to deliver scientific opinions and guidance documents in the future. To explore this possibility, EFSA launched a Call for the development of a roadmap to identify the main actions needed for a wider use of Omics in future risk assessments. To address this objective, this action roadmap outlines six project proposals. These proposals are based on a comprehensive mapping of the state-of-the-art omics and associated bioinformatics technologies in research, EFSA’s activities as well as current and planned activities from other relevant regulatory bodies and organisations. The outlined recommendations also address some of the identified main knowledge gaps and highlight the added value that further investments in the different food & feed safety scientific domains could bring. In addition, the work in this roadmap addresses some key challenges and blockers that might hinder a wider integration of omics in risk assessment and leverages on the opportunities for cooperation with external stakeholders. Finally, this roadmap provides suggestions on how EFSA may more broadly and effectively engage with relevant stakeholders in the use of omics technologies and associated bioinformatics approaches in regulatory science,
https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/sp.efsa.2024.EN-9086