As 2025 starts, where does CRISPR stand in transforming agriculture? The Innovative Genomics Institute has provided a snapshot of the state of the art, and (despite the wait for new European regulations), things are moving forward. Let’s take a closer look.
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Have you read Jennifer Doudna’s article in Wired? She discusses how the combination of CRISPR and artificial intelligence could be transformational. In her lab, researchers recently used AI tools to help find “small gene-editing proteins that had been sitting undiscovered in public genome databases because we simply didn’t have the ability to crunch all of the data that we’ve collected”.
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Before the advent of genome editing and GMOs, mutagenesis was achieved through radiation. This technique was also used to modify varieties of durum wheat, which, through crossbreeding, contributed to the production of pasta consumed in Italy (see this old statement made by Norberto Pogna to Nature Biotechnology). The term “atomic spaghetti” is sometimes invoked in debates on agricultural biotechnology to highlight how modern techniques are vastly more precise than those of the past. However, few people are aware of the full complexity of this story.
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For scientists, it is a model organism—perfect for research because it grows fast, self-pollinates, and has a small genome that is easy to modify. In fact, it is the most studied plant in the world, the first to have its DNA sequenced, a true diva of genetics. To everyone else, it is an anonymous weed: among countless botanical wonders, Arabidopsis thaliana hardly stands out, being so small and with such unremarkable flowers.
But the foundational knowledge is there, and so are the biotechnological tools. So, why not give its colorless, modest bloom a gala makeover, with petals to make a rose jealous? This idea sparked the imagination of Nick Desnoyer from the University of Zurich. With a little breeding and a touch of CRISPR, he created a plant with the genetic backbone of Arabidopsis but adorned with a sumptuous corolla.
Don’t miss his visually stunning thread on X and bluesky where he announces a bio-art project set to blossom in 2025.
Future space exploration will depend in large part on using organisms capable of surviving in extreme conditions. One source of inspiration for achieving this goal is the tardigrade, a tiny invertebrate that is a champion of endurance and could lend its genes (and perhaps some superpowers) to other species designed to feed astronauts and provide useful substances.
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Italy has long been one of the most hostile countries toward GMOs, to the point of shutting down research in this field. Today, however, it stands among the most active EU members in testing New Genomic Techniques. How did this transformation happen? EMBO Reports features insights from some of the Italian scientists who have championed the defense of GMOs and the revival of experimental fields. Happy reading!
CRISPRpedia is an online encyclopedia on CRISPR developed by the Innovative Genomics Institute. A new chapter, devoted entirely to the bioethics of gene editing, has recently been added to existing sections on CRISPR in nature, CRISPR technology, applications in medicine, and applications in agriculture. The ability to edit the genomes of people, embryos, plants and animals raises both old and new questions. How do we decide what uses are legitimate and desirable? Who gets to make these decisions? How can we ensure safety and fair access?
Answers to these and other pressing questions have been compiled by UC Berkeley bioethicist Jodi Halpern, in collaboration with communications strategist Hope Henderson. Check it out!
Recolored tomatoes, as in this cover. Enriched with vitamin D, such as those developed with the help of Italian scientists. Resistant to parasitic plants (broomrapes), like those being studied also in Italy. Redomesticated tomatoes, as if it were possible to rewind and restart the film of domestication at an accelerated speed. Even hot tomatoes. There is no doubt that CRISPR is making waves with this fruit so central to our cuisine and so important to the global economy (186 million tons are produced worldwide). The latest addition is the extra-sweet tomato, which had the honor of being featured in a paper in Nature.
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Experimental patients often find themselves in a paradoxical situation: they must be sick enough to qualify for a clinical trial but healthy enough to endure its side effects. They also need the audacity to subject their bodies to protocols whose safety and efficacy remain unproven. For this reason, many describe them as pioneers or even warriors.
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