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Ahmad J, Grunden A, Kuzma J. Biotechnology executive order opens door for regulatory reform and social acceptance of genetically engineered microbes in agriculture. GM CROPS & FOOD 2024; 15:248-261. [PMID: 39066641 DOI: 10.1080/21645698.2024.2381294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
In the United States, regulatory review of genetically engineered microbes for agriculture falls under the Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology (CFRB). However, the lack of a centralized regulatory pathway and multiple oversight authorities can lead to uncertainty in regulatory review. Using three microbial-based technologies for agriculture as illustrative examples, this commentary identifies the weaknesses and challenges associated with the CFRB by assessing the current system and proposed changes to the system under a multi criteria decision analysis framework. In addition, it discusses opportunities for regulatory reform to improve clarity, efficiency, and public acceptance of genetically engineered microbes in agriculture under the CHIPS and Science Act and the 2022 Executive Order on the Bioeconomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jabeen Ahmad
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
- Genetic Engineering and Society Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Amy Grunden
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
- Genetic Engineering and Society Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Jennifer Kuzma
- Genetic Engineering and Society Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
- School of Public and International Affairs, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
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2
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Boerjan W, Strauss SH. Social and biological innovations are essential to deliver transformative forest biotechnologies. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 243:526-536. [PMID: 38803120 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Forests make immense contributions to societies in the form of ecological services and sustainable industrial products. However, they face major challenges to their viability and economic use due to climate change and growing biotic and economic threats, for which recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology can sometimes provide solutions. But the application of rDNA technologies to forest trees faces major social and biological obstacles that make its societal acceptance a 'wicked' problem without straightforward solutions. We discuss the nature of these problems, and the social and biological innovations that we consider essential for progress. As case studies of biological challenges, we focus on studies of modifications in wood chemistry and transformation efficiency. We call for major innovations in regulations, and the dissolution of method-based market barriers, that together could lead to greater research investments, enable wide use of field studies, and facilitate the integration of rDNA-modified trees into conventional breeding programs. Without near-term adoption of such innovations, rDNA-based solutions will be largely unavailable to help forests adapt to the growing stresses from climate change and the proliferation of forest pests, nor will they be available to provide economic and environmental benefits from expanded use of wood and related bioproducts as part of an expanding bioeconomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wout Boerjan
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 71, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 71, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Steven H Strauss
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
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3
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Li T. A Chinese model for legal regulation of Gene-Edited endangered animals and plants. Gene 2024; 911:148350. [PMID: 38467316 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The application of gene editing technology in the field of endangered plant and animal conservation has innovative and prospective value in saving endangered plant and animal populations, but it also poses challenges to the ecological environment and bioethical norms. Gene editing has impacted China's animal and plant protection legal system, and this study aims to provide solutions for China to regulate gene editing of endangered plants and animals. The study concludes that China should enact specific legislation on gene editing of endangered plants and animals, abide by the concept of biosafety, and aim to maintain biodiversity and ecological balance; under the supervision of the ecological and environmental departments, the regulation of gene editing of endangered plants and animals should adopt a hybrid model of "combining the product and the process", and establish a system of registration, labeling, and responsibility. The ownership of gene-edited endangered animals and plants should adhere to the compound ownership model, recognizing that the State, collectives and individuals can all be owners within the scope of legal authorization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Li
- School of Law, ZhongNan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan, China.
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4
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Hodgins CL, Salama EM, Kumar R, Zhao Y, Roth SA, Cheung IZ, Chen J, Arganosa GC, Warkentin TD, Bhowmik P, Ham B, Ro D. Creating saponin-free yellow pea seeds by CRISPR/Cas9-enabled mutagenesis on β-amyrin synthase. PLANT DIRECT 2024; 8:e563. [PMID: 38222934 PMCID: PMC10784647 DOI: 10.1002/pld3.563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Dry pea (Pisum sativum) seeds are valuable sources of plant protein, dietary fiber, and starch, but their uses in food products are restricted to some extent due to several off-flavor compounds. Saponins are glycosylated triterpenoids and are a major source of bitter, astringent, and metallic off-flavors in pea products. β-amyrin synthase (BAS) is the entry point enzyme for saponin biosynthesis in pea and therefore is an ideal target for knock-out using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to produce saponin deficient pea varieties. Here, in an elite yellow pea cultivar (CDC Inca), LC/MS analysis identified embryo tissue, not seed coat, as the main location of saponin storage in pea seeds. Differential expression analysis determined that PsBAS1 was preferentially expressed in embryo tissue relative to seed coat and was selected for CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing. The efficiency of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing of PsBAS1 was systematically optimized in pea hairy roots. From these optimization procedures, the AtU6-26 promoter was found to be superior to the CaMV35S promoter for gRNA expression, and the use of 37°C was determined to increase the efficiency of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing. These promoter and culture conditions were then applied to stable transformations. As a result, a bi-allelic mutation (deletion and inversion mutations) was generated in the PsBAS1 coding sequence in a T1 plant, and the segregated psbas1 plants from the T2 population showed a 99.8% reduction of saponins in their seeds. Interestingly, a small but statistically significant increase (~12%) in protein content with a slight decrease (~5%) in starch content was observed in the psbas1 mutants under phytotron growth conditions. This work demonstrated that flavor-improved traits can be readily introduced in any pea cultivar of interest using CRISPR/Cas9. Further field trials and sensory tests for improved flavor are necessary to assess the practical implications of the saponin-free pea seeds in food applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connor L. Hodgins
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
| | - Eman M. Salama
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
| | - Rahul Kumar
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
| | - Yang Zhao
- Global Institute for Food SecurityUniversity of SaskatchewanSaskatoonSaskatchewanCanada
| | - Susan A. Roth
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
| | - Irene Z. Cheung
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
| | - Jieyu Chen
- Global Institute for Food SecurityUniversity of SaskatchewanSaskatoonSaskatchewanCanada
| | - Gene C. Arganosa
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of SaskatchewanSaskatoonSaskatchewanCanada
| | - Thomas D. Warkentin
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of SaskatchewanSaskatoonSaskatchewanCanada
| | - Pankaj Bhowmik
- Aquatic and Crop Resource DevelopmentNational Research Council of CanadaSaskatoonSaskatchewanCanada
| | - Byung‐Kook Ham
- Global Institute for Food SecurityUniversity of SaskatchewanSaskatoonSaskatchewanCanada
- Department of BiologyUniversity of SaskatchewanSaskatoonSaskatchewanCanada
| | - Dae‐Kyun Ro
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
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5
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Kuzma J, Grieger K, Cimadori I, Cummings CL, Loschin N, Wei W. Parameters, practices, and preferences for regulatory review of emerging biotechnology products in food and agriculture. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1256388. [PMID: 37840660 PMCID: PMC10569304 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1256388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
This paper evaluates the U.S. regulatory review of three emerging biotechnology products according to parameters, practices, and endpoints of assessments that are important to stakeholders and publics. First, we present a summary of the literature on variables that are important to non-expert publics in governing biotech products, including ethical, social, policy process, and risk and benefit parameters. Second, we draw from our USDA-funded project results that surveyed stakeholders with subject matter expertise about their attitudes towards important risk, benefit, sustainability, and societal impact parameters for assessing novel agrifood technologies, including biotech. Third, we evaluate the regulatory assessments of three food and agricultural biotechnology case studies that have been reviewed under U.S. regulatory agencies and laws of the Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology, including gene-edited soybeans, beef cattle, and mustard greens. Evaluation of the regulatory review process was based on parameters identified in steps 1 and 2 which were deemed important to both publics and stakeholders. Based on this review, we then propose several policy options for U.S. federal agencies to strengthen their oversight processes to better align with a broader range of parameters to support sustainable agrifood products that rely on novel technologies. These policy options include 1) those that would not require new institutions or legal foundations (such as conducting Environmental Impact Statements and/or requiring a minimal level of safety data), 2) those that would require a novel institutional or cross-institutional framework (such as developing a publicly-available website and/or performing holistic sustainability assessments), and 3) those that would require the agencies to have additional legal authorities (such as requiring agencies to review biotech products according to a minimal set of health, environmental, and socio-economic parameters). Overall, the results of this analysis will be important for guiding policy practice and formulation in the regulatory assessment of emerging biotechnology products that challenge existing legal and institutional frameworks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Kuzma
- Genetic Engineering and Society Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
- School of Public and International Affairs, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Khara Grieger
- Genetic Engineering and Society Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
- North Carolina Plant Science Initiative, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Ilaria Cimadori
- Yale School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Christopher L. Cummings
- Genetic Engineering and Society Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
- Engineering Research and Development Center, United States Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg, MS, United States
- Gene Edited Foods Project, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Nick Loschin
- Genetic Engineering and Society Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
- North Carolina Plant Science Initiative, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Wei Wei
- Genetic Engineering and Society Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
- North Carolina Plant Science Initiative, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
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6
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Furgurson J, Loschin N, Butoto E, Abugu M, Gillespie CJ, Brown R, Ferraro G, Speicher N, Stokes R, Budnick A, Geist K, Alirigia R, Andrews A, Mainello A. Seizing the policy moment in crop biotech regulation: an interdisciplinary response to the Executive Order on biotechnology. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1241537. [PMID: 37609116 PMCID: PMC10441231 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1241537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jill Furgurson
- North Carolina State University Forestry and Environmental Resources, Raleigh, NC, United States
- North Carolina State University Genetic Engineering and Society Center, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Nick Loschin
- North Carolina State University Genetic Engineering and Society Center, Raleigh, NC, United States
- North Carolina State University Applied Ecology, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Eric Butoto
- North Carolina State University Genetic Engineering and Society Center, Raleigh, NC, United States
- North Carolina State University Crop and Soil Sciences, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Modesta Abugu
- North Carolina State University Genetic Engineering and Society Center, Raleigh, NC, United States
- North Carolina State University Horticultural Science, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Christopher J. Gillespie
- North Carolina State University Genetic Engineering and Society Center, Raleigh, NC, United States
- North Carolina State University Entomology and Plant Pathology, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Rebekah Brown
- North Carolina State University Genetic Engineering and Society Center, Raleigh, NC, United States
- North Carolina State University Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Greg Ferraro
- North Carolina State University Genetic Engineering and Society Center, Raleigh, NC, United States
- North Carolina State University Agricultural and Resource Economics, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Nolan Speicher
- North Carolina State University Genetic Engineering and Society Center, Raleigh, NC, United States
- North Carolina State University Communication, Rhetoric, and Digital Media, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Ruthie Stokes
- North Carolina State University Genetic Engineering and Society Center, Raleigh, NC, United States
- North Carolina State University Biochemistry, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Asa Budnick
- North Carolina State University Genetic Engineering and Society Center, Raleigh, NC, United States
- North Carolina State University Plant Biology, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Katrina Geist
- North Carolina State University Genetic Engineering and Society Center, Raleigh, NC, United States
- North Carolina State University Anthropology, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Rex Alirigia
- North Carolina State University Forestry and Environmental Resources, Raleigh, NC, United States
- North Carolina State University Genetic Engineering and Society Center, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Amaja Andrews
- North Carolina State University Genetic Engineering and Society Center, Raleigh, NC, United States
- North Carolina State University Anthropology, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Amanda Mainello
- North Carolina State University Genetic Engineering and Society Center, Raleigh, NC, United States
- North Carolina State University Entomology and Plant Pathology, Raleigh, NC, United States
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7
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Tamborski J, Seong K, Liu F, Staskawicz BJ, Krasileva KV. Altering Specificity and Autoactivity of Plant Immune Receptors Sr33 and Sr50 Via a Rational Engineering Approach. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS : MPMI 2023; 36:434-446. [PMID: 36867580 PMCID: PMC10561695 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-07-22-0154-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Many resistance genes deployed against pathogens in crops are intracellular nucleotide-binding (NB) leucine-rich repeat (LRR) receptors (NLRs). The ability to rationally engineer the specificity of NLRs will be crucial in the response to newly emerging crop diseases. Successful attempts to modify NLR recognition have been limited to untargeted approaches or depended on previously available structural information or knowledge of pathogen-effector targets. However, this information is not available for most NLR-effector pairs. Here, we demonstrate the precise prediction and subsequent transfer of residues involved in effector recognition between two closely related NLRs without their experimentally determined structure or detailed knowledge about their pathogen effector targets. By combining phylogenetics, allele diversity analysis, and structural modeling, we successfully predicted residues mediating interaction of Sr50 with its cognate effector AvrSr50 and transferred recognition specificity of Sr50 to the closely related NLR Sr33. We created synthetic versions of Sr33 that contain amino acids from Sr50, including Sr33syn, which gained the ability to recognize AvrSr50 with 12 amino-acid substitutions. Furthermore, we discovered that sites in the LRR domain needed to transfer recognition specificity to Sr33 also influence autoactivity in Sr50. Structural modeling suggests these residues interact with a part of the NB-ARC domain, which we named the NB-ARC latch, to possibly maintain the inactive state of the receptor. Our approach demonstrates rational modifications of NLRs, which could be useful to enhance existing elite crop germplasm. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janina Tamborski
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, U.S.A
| | - Kyungyong Seong
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, U.S.A
| | - Furong Liu
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, U.S.A
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California Berkeley, 2151 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 94720, U.S.A
| | - Brian J. Staskawicz
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, U.S.A
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California Berkeley, 2151 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 94720, U.S.A
| | - Ksenia V. Krasileva
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, U.S.A
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California Berkeley, 2151 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 94720, U.S.A
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8
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Marone D, Mastrangelo AM, Borrelli GM. From Transgenesis to Genome Editing in Crop Improvement: Applications, Marketing, and Legal Issues. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087122. [PMID: 37108285 PMCID: PMC10138802 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The biotechnological approaches of transgenesis and the more recent eco-friendly new breeding techniques (NBTs), in particular, genome editing, offer useful strategies for genetic improvement of crops, and therefore, recently, they have been receiving increasingly more attention. The number of traits improved through transgenesis and genome editing technologies is growing, ranging from resistance to herbicides and insects to traits capable of coping with human population growth and climate change, such as nutritional quality or resistance to climatic stress and diseases. Research on both technologies has reached an advanced stage of development and, for many biotech crops, phenotypic evaluations in the open field are already underway. In addition, many approvals regarding main crops have been granted. Over time, there has been an increase in the areas cultivated with crops that have been improved through both approaches, but their use in various countries has been limited by legislative restrictions according to the different regulations applied which affect their cultivation, marketing, and use in human and animal nutrition. In the absence of specific legislation, there is an on-going public debate with favorable and unfavorable positions. This review offers an updated and in-depth discussion on these issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Marone
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Cereal and Industrial Crops, 71122 Foggia, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Mastrangelo
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Cereal and Industrial Crops, 71122 Foggia, Italy
| | - Grazia Maria Borrelli
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Cereal and Industrial Crops, 71122 Foggia, Italy
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9
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Hoffman NE. USDA's revised biotechnology regulation's contribution to increasing agricultural sustainability and responding to climate change. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1055529. [PMID: 36507369 PMCID: PMC9726801 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1055529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Biotechnology can provide a valuable tool to meet UN Sustainable Development Goals and U.S. initiatives to find climate solutions and improve agricultural sustainability. The literature contains hundreds of examples of crops that may serve this purpose, yet most remain un-launched due to high regulatory barriers. Recently the USDA revised its biotechnology regulations to make them more risk-proportionate, science-based, and streamlined. Here, we review some of the promising leads that may enable agriculture to contribute to UN sustainability goals. We further describe and discuss how the revised biotechnology regulation would hypothetically apply to these cases.
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10
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Bouchaut B, Hollmann F, Asveld L. Differences in barriers for controlled learning about safety between biotechnology and chemistry. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4103. [PMID: 35835765 PMCID: PMC9283460 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31870-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In contrast to chemical industry, biotechnology is still not competitive for the production of chemicals, materials, and biofuels. Here, the authors discuss the underlying reasons and propose to address the problem through regulatory changes and risk management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Britte Bouchaut
- Section of Biotechnology and Society, Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629HZ, Delft, The Netherlands.
| | - Frank Hollmann
- Section of Biocatalysis, Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629HZ, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Lotte Asveld
- Section of Biotechnology and Society, Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629HZ, Delft, The Netherlands
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11
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George DR, Hornstein ED, Clower CA, Coomber AL, Dillard D, Mugwanya N, Pezzini DT, Rozowski C. Lessons for a SECURE Future: Evaluating Diversity in Crop Biotechnology Across Regulatory Regimes. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:886765. [PMID: 35586550 PMCID: PMC9108862 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.886765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulation of next-generation crops in the United States under the newly implemented “SECURE” rule promises to diversify innovation in agricultural biotechnology. Specifically, SECURE promises to expand the number of products eligible for regulatory exemption, which proponents theorize will increase the variety of traits, genes, organisms, and developers involved in developing crop biotechnology. However, few data-driven studies have looked back at the history of crop biotechnology to understand how specific regulatory pathways have affected diversity in crop biotechnology and how those patterns might change over time. In this article, we draw upon 30 years of regulatory submission data to 1) understand historical diversification trends across the landscape and history of past crop biotechnology regulatory pathways and 2) forecast how the new SECURE regulations might affect future diversification trends. Our goal is to apply an empirical approach to exploring the relationship between regulation and diversity in crop biotechnology and provide a basis for future data-driven analysis of regulatory outcomes. Based on our analysis, we suggest that diversity in crop biotechnology does not follow a single trajectory dictated by the shifts in regulation, and outcomes of SECURE might be more varied and restrictive despite the revamped exemption categories. In addition, the concept of confidential business information and its relationship to past and future biotechnology regulation is reviewed in light of our analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalton R. George
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, College of Natural Resources, North Carolina Sate University, Raleigh, NC, United States
- Genetic Engineering and Society Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
- *Correspondence: Dalton R. George,
| | - Eli D. Hornstein
- Genetic Engineering and Society Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Carrie A. Clower
- Genetic Engineering and Society Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
- Department of Communication, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Allison L. Coomber
- Genetic Engineering and Society Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - DeShae Dillard
- Genetic Engineering and Society Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Nassib Mugwanya
- Genetic Engineering and Society Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
- Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Daniela T. Pezzini
- Genetic Engineering and Society Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Casey Rozowski
- Genetic Engineering and Society Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
- Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
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12
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Jenkins D, Dobert R, Atanassova A, Pavely C. Impacts of the regulatory environment for gene editing on delivering beneficial products. IN VITRO CELLULAR & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY. PLANT : JOURNAL OF THE TISSUE CULTURE ASSOCIATION 2021; 57:609-626. [PMID: 34429575 PMCID: PMC8376113 DOI: 10.1007/s11627-021-10201-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Various genome-editing technologies have been embraced by plant breeders across the world as promising tools for the improvement of different crops to deliver consumer benefits, improve agronomic performance, and increase sustainability. The uptake of genome-editing technologies in plant breeding greatly depends on how governments regulate its use. Some major agricultural production countries have already developed regulatory approaches that enable the application of genome editing for crop improvement, while other governments are in the early stages of formulating policy. Central to the discussion is the principle of "like products should be treated in like ways" and the subsequent utilization of exclusions and exemptions from the scope of GMO regulations for these products. In some countries, the outcomes of genome editing that could also have been achieved through conventional breeding have been defined as not needing GMO regulatory oversight. In this paper, we provide a short overview of plant breeding and the history of plant biotechnology policy development, the different classes of current regulatory systems and their use of exemptions and exclusions for genome-edited plants, and the potential benefits of such approaches as it relates to achieving societal goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Jenkins
- Pairwise Plants Services, Inc., 807 East Main Street, Suite 4-100, Durham, NC 27701 USA
| | - Raymond Dobert
- Bayer Crop Science, 700 Chesterfield Parkway West, St. Louis, MO 63017 USA
| | - Ana Atanassova
- BASF Business Coordination Centre – Innovation Center Gent, Technologiepark 101, 9052 Gent, Belgium
| | - Chloe Pavely
- Calyxt, Inc., 2800 Mount Ridge Road, Roseville, MN 55113 USA
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13
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Life 2.0-A CRISPR path to a sustainable planet. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2107418118. [PMID: 34050031 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2107418118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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