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Author Archives: Anna Meldolesi
CRISPR Wow: Arabidopsis Dresses Up
For scientists, it is a model organismāperfect 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.
CRISPR on the Road to Mars
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.
Continue readingFall and Rise: Italy’s Journey from GMOs to CRISPR
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!
CRISPR ethics for everyone
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!
CRISPR hits tomato’s sweet spot
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.
Continue readingChemotherapy pretreatment claims a victim in a CRISPR trial
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.
Continue readingCRISPR Chardonnay – Italy Doubles Up
The University of Veronaās edited vines are already in the field, and soon it could be the turn of the Edmund Mach Foundation and CREA-CNR. Once again, the focus is on Chardonnay, edited to resist downy mildew (with a double knock-out approach) or powdery mildew. I spoke with the key figures of this new chapter in Italian research: Mario Pezzotti, Sara Zenoni, Umberto Salvagnin, Riccardo Velasco, and Vittoria Brambilla. Returning to write for Nature Biotechnology is a joy for me, especially because this time, Italy is leading the way in innovation rather than holding it back, as in the past. Prosit!
CRISPR in Trump’s time
A wait-and-see atmosphere lingers in the biotech and pharma sector. Vice President-designate J.D. Vance recently spoke with enthusiasm on Joe Rogan’s podcast about the first CRISPR treatment to hit the marketāthe one for sickle cell anemia. However, thereās rising concern about RFK Jr., who could exert significant influence over health and food policies. His broad ānatural = goodā ideology is both philosophically and scientifically dubious, and his clear anti-GMO positions are worrisome. Listening to his conversation with anti-biotech activist Jeffrey Smith on the RFK Jr. podcast reveals a revival of the classic 1990s narrativeācorporations as villains, a corrupt establishment, suppressed scientists, concealed health risksāall now repurposed to criticize CRISPR technology, which is portrayed as unreliable and uncontrollable.
It takes two to think
Watson & Crick for the double helix. Doudna & Charpentier for CRISPR. KarikĆ³ & Weissman for RNA vaccines… Do two people think better than one or even many? Itai Yanai and Martin J. Lercher suggest so in Nature Biotechnology.
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