A study published in Neuron shows that deleting the Calmodulin-interacting peptide Pcp4a gene regulates the behavioral choice of zebrafish. This breakthrough is essential for understanding the influences on zebrafish's decision-making in response to various external stimuli and internal needs. Animals make fundamental behavioral decisions towards objects in their environment. To thrive and survive in complex environments, animals decide whether to approach or avoid potential danger.

Scientists from Singapore developed a novel approach to sequence single-cell RNA. This method will help examine the roles of RNA structure in single cells. RNA structure is essential for several stages of gene regulation. However, how transcript structures differ within and between different cells is unknown. That's why researchers from A*STAR's Genome Institute of Singapore produced Single Cell Structure Probing Of RNA Transcripts (Sc-SPORT) that simultaneously analyzes secondary structure and abundance at a single cell level.

Around 80% of India’s rice production is from the eastern Indian states of Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Assam. Rice is primarily cultivated in the kharif season; however, large areas remain fallow during the subsequent rabi season.  There is tremendous potential to boost the cropping intensity and crop productivity to increase farmer income by targeting the rabi rice-fallow areas.

China Agricultural University and its partners unveiled two genes that confer natural variation in maize pollen fertility. Their findings are published in the Plant Biotechnology Journal. Understanding the regulation of pollen fertility in natural populations has been a mystery for scientists. To dig deeper into this mystery, the researchers explored using a genome-wide association study and found two crucial genes in maize pollen fertility—ZmGEN1A and ZmMSH7.

On January 24, 2024, the European Parliament's Environment Committee (ENVI) approved the Proposal on New Genomic Techniques (NGTs). With 47 votes in favor to 31 against, and 4 abstentions, this marks a significant advancement in fostering plant breeding innovations in the region. The Proposal, released in July 2023, introduces a new regulatory framework, distinguishing NGTs like targeted mutagenesis and cis-genesis from transgenics. Under the proposed regime, NGT plants would be regulated more like the ones derived from traditional breeding methods.

Scientists use tools like TALENs, CRISPR, and prime editing to modify plant genes. Traditionally, the gene coding for the editing enzyme, the guide RNA, and selectable markers are introduced into the DNA during plant transformation. However, these markers take up space, limiting the effective number of TALENs or guide RNAs, and could also silence other genes.

Improving cereal crops is vital for ensuring global food security. This is according to the chapter on gene editing tools authored by Arunima Chakraborty from the book Application of ZFNs and TALENs for Improvement in Cereal Crops. Conventional breeding tools are vital in the improvement of crops, but they have limitations. For instance, introducing precise genetic modifications can be tedious and time-consuming, often involving undesirable traits. This is where cutting-edge genome editing Transcription Activator-Like Effector Nucleases (TALENs) come into play.

Gene editing is a new addition to an array of technologies that biological scientists have developed to improve food stocks and contribute to food accessibility and environmental sustainability. Awareness-building activities are vital in promoting an enabling environment for biotechnological innovations. Gene Genies: Gene Editing by Filipino Scientists is a webinar organized by ISAAA Inc., in collaboration with the Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines (BCP), held on January 24, 2024.

ISAAA Inc., in partnership with the Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines (BCP), will hold the second webinar of the series about gene editing. The second webinar, titled Gene Genies: Gene Editing by Filipino Scientists (Applications in Livestock and Aquaculture), is scheduled on February 26, 2024, at 10:00 AM GMT+8. The pre-registration is now open to all high schools in the Philippines. Each school may submit names of five students and one teacher as participants.

RiceMoRe, a collaborative effort between the Department of Crop Production (DCP), Center for Agriculture Digital Transformation and Statistics (DTS) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), introduces an innovative solution to digitize and enhance the monitoring and reporting processes for rice production. Accessible via both a web-based platform (https://ricemore.org) and a mobile application, RiceMoRe aims to streamline and standardize the collection and analysis of rice production data for improved accuracy, timeliness, and accessibility of decision-support information.