July 22, 2014
Genome editing of crops may face EU restrictions: scientists
Genome editing, a nascent technology for genetic manipulation of crops to achieve more desirable traits, may be restricted by the EU''s genetic modification rules, scientists told the Guardian.
Genome editing, unlike genetic modification (GM), does not normally involve transplanting genes from one plant or species to another, but instead picks out the genetic mutations that would naturally occur through selective breeding. In other words, it mimics nature and does not involve the total transformation of genes with which GM is often associated.
Researchers use molecules to split the genome and repair it, which is a natural process that occurs when plants face diseases and can result in beneficial mutations that enable the plant to survive future disease invasion. This process can be hastened in laboratories, where one can create mechanisms through which the relevant genes can be altered with extreme precision, forgoing the need to transplant genes from other organisms, one of the main criticisms of GM crops.
The technology is still in its infancy, as the first commercial application of it for human consumption was approved only this spring, when United States-based Cibus introduced an edited version of canola.
Under EU laws it is not clear whether gene editing should be treated in the same manner as GM. The European commission is expected to offer guidance on the technology soon, but whether that could involve a ruling on how the current regulations should apply, or whether there will be a commitment to further study with the possibility of new regulations, remains to be seen.