MYB transcription factor family represents one of the largest and most functionally diverse groups of regulatory proteins in plants, playing a crucial role in controlling genes involved in growth, development, and stress responses. MYB proteins are characterized by a conserved N-terminal DNA-binding domain. They are classified based on the number of R repeats, and possess a variable C-terminal region that determines their specific functions. In response to environmental signals, MYB proteins bind to specific DNA elements in target promoters, acting alone or with other regulators to modulate stress-responsive pathways. These factors integrate signaling cascades involving abscisic acid (ABA), jasmonic acid (JA), brassinosteroids (BR), and reactive oxygen species (ROS), aiding plant adaptation to adverse conditions. This review explores structural features, classification, and regulatory mechanisms, focusing on their roles in salinity, drought, extreme temperatures, nutrient deficiencies, heavy metal toxicity, and pathogen defense. Additionally, we highlight the advances and potential of MYB genes as targets for engineering stress-resilient crops through breeding and genetic modification.

Phytic acid is the main storage of phosphate in grains of staple crops. As phytic acid is hardly digestible for non-ruminants microbial phytases are used to supplement animal feed to enhance phosphate digestibility. A fungal phytase gene was introduced into barley with the aim of enhancing phosphate digestibility. Transgenic homozygous barley over-expressing fungal phytase phyA showed a 3.3fold increase in mature grain phytase activity. Field trials at two locations in the Czech Republic were conducted in a five-year experiment to test transgene stability and activity under field conditions. Increased phytase activity gradually decreased over the generations showing the most significant drop in the initial years of field trials. Molecular analysis revealed methylation in the coding sequence of the transgene, suggesting transcription gene silencing. On the other hand, herbicide resistance used for selection of transgenic plants was functional over all generations. The feasibility of crossing the transgene into the feeding cultivar Azit was demonstrated with subsequent stabilization of hybrid progeny through androgenesis. Our results indicate that the Azit genetic background tended to reduce phytase activity in mature grains of hybrids. Grain-specific over-expression of fungal phytase driven by an amylase promoter improved phosphate levels during germination. Unfortunately, a malting experiment revealed that phytase over-expression did not significantly improve malting parameters. In fact, the higher nitrogen content in unmalted grain negatively affected the quality of the malt produced from them.

Biosafety represents a widespread but alarming terminology in life sciences. It was originally created for safety issues related to the possible leakage of recombinant DNAs from laboratories. However, its coverage has been greatly expanded to nearly all disciplines in life sciences. The fast development and extensive applications of biotechnology have aroused worldwide concerns over biosafety. Therefore, biosafety education becomes important for students, scientists, government staff, and the public. China has launched biosafety education and communication programs, although with many challenges. For example, it is difficult to have an appropriate definition and determined disciplines for biosafety because of its rapid evolution. Science-based knowledge and information of biosafety are still limited due to the fast change of biosafety concept, theories, and legislations. How to transform the above challenges into opportunities through effective biosafety education and communication? This article attempts to provide some thoughts and case studies for such difficulties, particularly in China.

Approval of Bt brinjal cultivation represents a crucial step forward for Bangladesh in agricultural biotechnology. However, the scalability of Bt brinjal adoption faces barriers, mainly due to resistance from traditional farmers, the limited evidence suggesting its socioeconomic impacts and full realization of its benefits. This study evaluates the socio-economic impacts of Bt brinjal adoption in the Pabna District. The study analyzed the impacts based on data from 489 brinjal farmers, comprising 197 adopters of Bt brinjal and 292 non-adopters employing propensity score matching, a method that helps to reduce selection bias in observational studies. The findings reveal that Bt brinjal adoption increased brinjal yield by 5,845.33 kg per hectare and raised profits by 226,577.54 BD taka (equivalent to 1,884.95 USD) per hectare. Additionally, pesticide costs were reduced by 41,269.499 BD taka (equivalent to 343.38 USD) per hectare. The increased yield and income and reduced use of pesticides demonstrate the economic and environmental advantages of Bt brinjal adoption. To harness the full potential of Bt brinjal, policymakers could adopt strategies that enhance farmers' access to Bt brinjal technology and disseminate its positive socio-economic and environmental advantages through targeted educational programs. Such initiatives encourage widespread adoption and contribute to sustainable growth in the agricultural sector.

Accurate quantification of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is essential for regulatory compliance, especially under threshold-based labeling policies. In this study, we developed and validated twelve event-specific duplex chamber- or chip-based digital PCR (cdPCR) methods using microfluidic array plates to quantify GM maize events approved in South Korea. In contrast to conventional real-time PCR, the cdPCR approach allows for absolute quantification without standard curve calibration and incorporates event-specific zygosity ratio correction to improve accuracy of the measurement. The method was evaluated at GMO content levels of 0.9%, 3.0%, and 5.0%. It demonstrated high sensitivity and robustness, with trueness, precision, and reproducibility satisfying the minimum performance criteria recommended by international guidelines. Comparative analysis with real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) showed comparable accuracy; however, cdPCR provided advantages in cost-efficiency and operational simplicity. These findings support the applicability of duplex cdPCR as a practical and reliable tool for GMO quantification, particularly in national regulatory laboratories and for enforcement of labeling thresholds such as Korea's 3.0% rule.

In the European Union, the food and feed containing more than 0.9% of approved genetically modified organisms (GMOs) per ingredient must be labeled before placed on the market. In this legislative context, the official control laboratories have to perform validated PCR assays, according to the principles and requirements of ISO/IEC 17025 standard, regarding event-specific methods for the detection, identification and quantification of GMOs. In recent years, with the advent of digital PCR (dPCR) techniques, a growing number of laboratories have transferred the previously validated real-time PCR testings into a dPCR format. Compared to real-time PCR, the dPCR offers the advantage to provide accurate quantification without the need for external calibration samples, show less sensitivity to PCR inhibitors and is more suitable for multiplexing. In this study, an validation of quantitative duplex dPCR methods was performed involving MON-04032-6 and MON89788 assays with the lectin reference gene, on the two different platforms Bio-Rad QX200 and Qiagen QIAcuity. All evaluated data and the validation parameters agree with the acceptance criteria validation performance parameters according to the JRC Guidance documents and technical reports in both platforms. The duplex PCR methods here investigated are equivalent in terms of performance to the singleplex real-time PCR method and suitable to perform a collaborative trial for a full validation.

Genome editing (GE) is a promising agricultural technology; however, its effective adoption relies on safety assurance and public trust. To investigate Korean perceptions, a 2national survey ( = 1,055) was conducted in 2024 on awareness, attitudes, acceptance, and information behavior. Awareness was high for familiar terms such as "gene scissors," but low for scientific terms such as CRISPR. Willingness to purchase GE products was 70%, exceeding that for GMO reported previously, although respondents favored conditional adoption (research, imports) over domestic cultivation. Safety was the most decisive factor, not only in the form of scientific verification but also in transparency and institutional safeguards. Expert organizations were trusted, yet mass media remained the preferred information channels, revealing a credibility - accessibility gap. Respondents also emphasized expert and government leadership in policymaking. Overall, Korean perceptions align with global patterns but show stronger emphasis on policy trust and media reliance, underscoring the need for transparent safety verification, expert-led yet mass-mediated communication, and tailored strategies.

The Proposal for a new Regulation on plants produced by certain new genomic techniques (NGTs) embraces the deregulation of NGT plants but introduces a patent ban on them. This move has generated significant legal uncertainties and has become the focal point of a broader debate over the patentability of NGT plants. In reviewing the rationale and challenges underlying the patent ban, this article argues that the abandonment of patents diverges from established expectations. Introducing a new complete patent ban is likely to lead to several adverse consequences, including challenges related to justification, implementation, and innovation. Instead of radically altering the NGT plant patent framework, more practical and balanced alternatives within existing patent system - such as the establishment of a patent-clearing platform, the adoption of a compulsory licensing model and the creation of a labeling and traceability system - may offer more effective solutions.

Lepidopteran pests are a serious threat to soybean production worldwide and have developed resistance to several pest management options, including the use of transgenic soybean expressing crystalline (Cry) proteins derived from the soil bacterium Berliner (). For this reason, there is great interest in discovering insecticidal proteins that function via new modes and/or sites of action against lepidopteran pests to support a sustainable and durable management plan. Event COR-23134-4 (hereafter referred to as COR23134 soybean), which expresses -derived insecticidal proteins Cry1B.34.1 and Cry1B.61.1 and a novel plant-derived IPD083Cb insecticidal protein, was developed to provide additional sites of action to confer protection against certain susceptible lepidopteran pests. As part of the environmental safety assessment, the potential risks (exposure and hazard) posed by the cultivation of COR23134 soybean to non-target organisms (NTOs) were assessed. The environmental risk was characterized by comparing the Tier I laboratory hazard study results to worst-case or refined estimated environmental concentrations (EECs) to establish the margin of exposure (MOE) for the Cry1B.34.1, Cry1B.61.1, and IPD083Cb proteins in COR23134 soybean. Overall, results from the exposure and hazard assessments and the MOE values show that the Cry1B.34.1, Cry1B.61.1, and IPD083Cb insecticidal proteins expressed in COR23134 soybean are not expected to result in unreasonable adverse effects on NTO populations at environmentally realistic concentrations; hence, the risk to NTOs from the cultivation of COR23134 soybean is considered negligible.

Crops tolerant to protoporphyrinogen IX oxidase (PPO)-inhibiting herbicides were developed by expressing an herbicide insensitive PPO, a membrane-associated protein from . is commonly found in the environment, and PPO is present in thousands of species, including probiotic organisms with a history of safe use. Comparisons with current allergen and protein toxin databases revealed no sequence similarities between PPO and known allergens or toxins. To validate the use of -produced PPO in safety studies, physicochemical and functional characterization demonstrated that the PPO produced by genetically modified (GM) soybean has comparable immunoreactivity and functional activity to that produced from , with neither being glycosylated. PPO was fully digested after exposure to pepsin and pancreatin for 2 and 5 minutes, respectively, and its activity is completely lost at temperatures of 55°C or higher. Mice dosed orally with PPO at a level of 5000 mg protein per kg body weight showed no adverse effects, as indicated in body weight gains, food consumption, and clinical observations. This comprehensive safety assessment indicates that PPO protein from GM crops is safe for food and feed consumption. Additionally, we present methods to demonstrate the functional equivalence of a membrane-associated protein from and plant, along with a novel process for formulating PPO in gram quantities at 76.3 mg/ml.

Maize event DP-Ø51291-2 expresses the protein, IPD072Aa, which is derived from , encoded by the , to provide corn rootworm control. An environmental risk assessment was conducted for DP-Ø51291-2 maize which characterized potential exposure and hazard of the IPD072Aa protein to non-target organisms (NTOs). To estimate potential exposure to the IPD072Aa protein, worst-case estimated environmental concentrations (EECs) and refined EECs, where applicable, were calculated. To characterize potential hazard from the IPD072Aa protein, laboratory dietary toxicity studies were conducted with surrogate NTOs representing functional groups selected via problem formulation. Margins of exposure for each surrogate species were determined by comparing hazard and exposure values which indicated negligible potential risk to NTO populations. To add an additional line of evidence, a field assessment was conducted for DP-Ø51291-2 maize as compared to a near isoline control. Overall, no unreasonable adverse effects to NTO populations are anticipated from DP-Ø51291-2 maize cultivation.

Leaf yellowing critically impacts tobacco quality and economic value. The Bcl-2-associated athanogene (BAG) gene family regulates plant development and senescence, yet the role of NtBAG5 in tobacco remains poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that NtBAG5 acts as a key promoter of leaf senescence. CRISPR/Cas9-generated mutants exhibited delayed senescence, enhanced activities of antioxidant enzymes, and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) content, whereas -overexpressing plants showed the opposite effects. Promoter-GUS analysis revealed high expression in roots and stems. Hormone treatments indicated that expression is upregulated by ABA, ETH, IAA, and GA (at late stage) but downregulated by MeJA. Mechanistically, NtBAG5 interacts with calmodulin (CaM) via its BAG domain and IQ motif, as confirmed by yeast two-hybrid and BiFC assays. Ca was found to modulate CaM conformation and strengthen the NtBAG5-CaM interaction. Silencing via VIGS induced severe leaf yellowing and growth defects. Our results reveal that the NtBAG5-CaM complex, regulated by Ca and hormones, modulates leaf senescence through the antioxidant system, providing new insights for improving tobacco quality.

Drought has become a key abiotic stress factor that seriously affects crop yield, including that of safflower, an important crop grown worldwide. Our previous work showed that drought stress markedly upregulated expression in safflower. Hence, to investigate 's function in drought tolerance, transgenic with ectopic expression of was treated with drought in the present work. It was shown that the transgenic exhibited better growth status, higher antioxidant enzyme activity, greater accumulation of chlorophyll and osmolytes, and lower levels of MDA and HO, indicating that ectopic expression of enhanced drought tolerance of . Furthermore, a yeast two-hybrid cDNA library was constructed from drought stress-treated safflower. The library capacity and titer of the constructed cDNA library were 3.232 × 10 CFU and 1.616 × 10 CFU/mL, respectively. Then, 38 candidate CtNAC78-interacting proteins were identified using a bait expression vector fused with gene fragment (pGBKT7-CtNAC78A). Further yeast spotting analyses and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assays showed that CtE3 (ubiquitin ligase) was the CtNAC78-interacting protein. These findings can assist us in further elucidating the mechanism by which regulates drought tolerance in safflower.

With the rapid adoption of glyphosate-resistant (GR) crops by farmers, the food safety has garnered significant attention. This study aims to evaluate the relative safety of glyphosate-resistant maize (CC-2). Rats were divided into three groups: one group receiving AIN-93 G feed (AIN), one receiving non-modified receptor maize feed (NM), and the other receiving CC-2 maize feed (GM). The intervention spanned from gestation d 0 of the parental rats to 90 d post-weaning of the offspring. The results indicated no significant differences in pregnancy outcomes, body weight, growth monitoring, behavioral tests, or organ indexes between the GM group and the two control groups (AIN and NM). Although there were significant differences in some hematological parameters, serum chemistry, and organ weights, histopathological analysis revealed no abnormalities. No exogenous gene fragments were detected in major organs. In conclusion, CC-2 maize is relative safe for growth and development in rats.

High soil salinity is one of the most damaging abiotic stresses affecting crop productivity by generating osmotic stress and ion toxicity. In this study, we investigated the metabolic responses of two transgenic rice (Agb0103) lines overexpressing , L-8 (single-copy insertion) and L-23 (double-copy insertion) in comparison with the non-transgenic parental cultivar under conditions involving salt-mediated stress (0, 75, 150, and 225 mM NaCl). Metabolite profiling was conducted using gas chromatography - time-of-flight mass spectrometry, targeting 63 hydrophilic and lipophilic compounds. Comparative analysis after treatment with 0 and 225 mM NaCl for 7 days revealed that the metabolites that showed significant differences included sugars, 10 amino acids, and 6 organic acids. The transgenic lines exhibited fewer changes in proline and γ-aminobutyric acid levels, which are known indicators of salt-induced leaf damage. Additionally, methionine content, which is likely influenced by expression, was altered under salt stress. Transgenic lines also accumulated higher levels of sugars, which contribute to reactive oxygen species scavenging, than . Conversely, amino acids, such as asparagine, aspartic acid, glutamine, and glutamic acid, showed contrasting trends in the transgenic lines and . These differences may be attributed to the roles of glutamic acid and glutamine in nitrogen metabolism and the involvement of glutamine synthetase in osmotic stress tolerance. Overall, this study provides foundational data for understanding the metabolic mechanisms underlying abiotic stress resistance in -expressing rice and highlights the potential role of this gene in enhancing salt stress tolerance through metabolic regulation.

Physiologically, salinity causes osmotic stress due to high solute concentration in soil and disturbs the metabolic and photosynthetic activity of the cells by increasing the toxicity of Na in the cytoplasm. Plant adaptation to salt stress is characterized by cellular ion homeostasis and vacuolar sequestration of toxic ions from cytosol mediated by H-pyrophosphatase (). The gene was cloned under the control of the promoter for yeast transformation and the promoter for tobacco transformation. Yeast supplementation assay demonstrated that and yeast mutants, transformed with genes, could only be able to partially complement the effect of NaCl and hygromycin in the presence of a functional Na/H antiporter gene. Transgenic tobacco plants transformed with the gene had significantly higher photosynthetic levels, stomatal conductivity, relative water content, membrane stability index, and negative osmotic potential under osmotic stress compared to wild-type plants (WT). Seeds of the transgenic line -PB4 (single gene insertion) and WT were germinated on the MS medium supplemented with 200 and 250 mM NaCl. Transgenic plants showed better growth and tolerance to salinity stress than WT plants. Our findings indicate that the overexpressing gene has a potential role in enhancing the abiotic stress tolerance in crops such as rice, wheat, and maize.

Genome editing has emerged as a powerful approach to enhancing the nutritional quality of oilseed crops. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats case9 (CRISPR/Cas9) is the predominant editing tool, while transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) and base editors are used less commonly. Key fatty acid desaturase genes such as FAD2 and FAD3 are prime targets because of their critical functions in fatty acid desaturation. This review summarizes recent progress in editing genes associated with oil composition and related traits across oilseed species. Visual data representations including, Sankey diagrams, heat maps, and crop-trait matrices illustrate shared editing priorities and emerging trait targets across crops. Despite its promise, genome editing still faces challenges in transformation efficiency, field-level validation, and regulatory acceptance. This review underscores the increasing impact of target gene editing on nutritional trait improvement and its potential to accelerate the development of healthier, more sustainable oilseed varieties.

GRAS genes are indispensable for modulating plant growth, developmental patterning, and adaptive responses to biotic and abiotic stress conditions. In this study, 99 genes were identified in the flax genome. Phylogenetic analysis classified them into 10 subfamilies: HAM, DELLA, DLT, SCL3, LAS, SCL4/7, SCR, SCL, SHR, and PAT1. Gene structure and motif analyses revealed that genes within the same clade exhibited conserved exon-intron organization and motif architectures. Promoter analysis showed that most genes contained cis-regulatory elements responsive to plant hormones (MeJA and abscisic acid) and abiotic stresses, including anaerobic induction, low temperature, and drought inducibility. MiRNA target prediction indicated that lus-miR395 is the primary regulatory miRNA for the gene family. Expression pattern analysis demonstrated that all family members were highly expressed in leaves and roots. qRT-PCR analysis further revealed that 10 genes were significantly upregulated under abiotic stresses (cold, drought, and salt), suggesting their involvement in antioxidant defense mechanisms. In , enhanced drought tolerance by scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. Subcellular localization analysis demonstrated that was localized in the nucleus. This study provides new insights into the role of genes in flax stress tolerance and contributes to flax breeding and further functional research.

As a critical carrier for ensuring consumer right-to-know and facilitating risk communication, the effectiveness of genetically modified (GM) labeling is influenced by cognitive biases, yet its behavioral impact remains underexplored, particularly in non-Western contexts. Through a dual-context online experiment (edible soybean oil vs. non-edible cotton,  = 800) conducted in China, this study examines how GM labeling affects purchase intentions, incorporating the roles of risk perception and moderating effect of metacognitive bias. The results reveal that risk perception mediates this relationship, while metacognitive ability significantly moderates it. More importantly, the results indicate that the audiences with different cognitive characteristics also have diverse cognitive effects and psychological pathways toward similar GM labels. These findings surpass traditional "knowledge-attitude" linear paradigms and further offer practical insights for policymakers: tailored GM labeling regulations and segmented communication strategies should be developed based on cognitive typologies to improve consumer understanding and decision-making.

Gene editing (GEd) technologies are rapidly transforming agricultural biotechnology; however, their regulatory treatment remains ambiguous under international instruments such as the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB), which was originally developed for genetically modified organisms (GMOs). This regulatory uncertainty creates challenges for product developers and regulators. This study critically examines the role of the Precautionary Principle (PP) in governing emerging genetic technologies. While the PP underpins the CPB, its interpretation, particularly in the European Union, has been criticized for creating legal barriers that have delayed the adoption of beneficial technologies. In contrast, a Principle-Based Approach (PBA) provides a more adaptive governance framework, grounded in high-level principles that enable flexibility with evolving scientific evidence. Through a review of global regulatory trends, this study identifies jurisdictional challenges and contrasts the theoretical and practical implications of the PP and PBA. It concludes with policy recommendations advocating a hybrid model integrating precaution and principle-based flexibility.