Russia has not been left on the sidelines of the rapid development of CRISPR methods that could make Russia less dependent on imported crop products. The launch of such a program will be a significant step both for Russia and for the whole world. It could also spur China to invest more in gene editing technologies, and help increase interest in gene editing technologies in the United States.
Russia has decided to actively engage in genetic editing issues. The goal of the federal program, on which 111 billion rubles ($ 1.7 billion) will be spent, is to create 10 new species of genetically edited plants and animals by 2020 and another 20 new species by 2027.
Alexei Kochetov, director of the Novosibirsk-based Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), welcomed the adoption of the research program and noted that genetics in Russia is “chronically underfunded,” and this has been the case for decades. Funding for science fell sharply in the 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union, and Russia still lags behind other countries in other important areas: in 2017, it spent 1.11% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on research, while China directed 2.13% of GDP for these purposes, and the United States - 2.79%.
However, some experts doubt that the set goals can be achieved in a timely manner. In addition, they are concerned that the adopted program does not address some other issues, including significant bureaucratic obstacles.
It is still not clear whether these 111 billion rubles are included in the existing federal budget for the development of science in civilian areas - in 2018 it amounted to 364 billion rubles, while 22 billion were spent on genetic research - or if we are talking about additional funds.
This program, which was presented in April of this year, is also of interest because some genetically edited products will not be subject to the provisions of a law adopted in 2016 prohibiting the cultivation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in Russia, with the exception of research work. purposes. Previously, it was not clear whether this ban applied to genetically edited organisms.
Transgenic differences
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The law adopted in 2016 calls genetically modified organisms "which cannot appear as a result of natural processes." However, the Russian government decree on the new program considers gene modification technologies such as short palindromic cluster repeats or CRISPR-Cas9 (they do not necessarily involve the use of foreign DNA) are considered equivalent to conventional breeding methods.
This is good news for Russian researchers, many of whom have been discouraged from working due to the uncertainty of the 2016 ban. This was told by a scientist from a leading institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow, who asked not to be mentioned because of concerns about the possible consequences for his professional activities.
The wording of the new regulation is in line with that of the USDA, which officials said last year that there are no plans to regulate "plants that can otherwise be cultivated using traditional breeding techniques", including genetically edited species, although the situation with animals is less clear. as this area is controlled by the US Food and Drug Administration.
In contrast, the ruling of the European Union's Supreme Court emphasizes that genetically modified plants are governed by the same rules as conventional genetically modified organisms, and this, according to many scientists, will impede research.
Konstantin Severinov, an expert in molecular genetics who took part in the development of this government program, in an interview with a correspondent of the magazine "Nature" noted that Russia is not on the sidelines in the field of rapid development of CRISPR methods, and one of the goals of this program is to make Russia less dependent on imported crop products.
“While Russia is considered a breadbasket, it is heavily dependent on imports when it comes to elite crops, and so the government has decided to do something about this area,” says Severinov, who divides his work time between Rutgers University in the state. New Jersey and the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology located in the suburbs of Moscow. “Fortunately, some RAS members said that using the CRISPR-Cas9 method is a good thing.”
Barley and beets
The decree mentions four types of crop products as priorities - barley, sugar beets, wheat and potatoes. Russia is the world's largest producer of barley, as well as the largest producer of the other three crops. This data is provided by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Programs for the development of genetically edited species of these crops are already underway. Scientists from RAS institutes located in Moscow are developing potato and sugar beet species resistant to pathogenic effects. And research in the field of gene editing, aimed at making barley and wheat more malleable for processing and more nutritious, is currently being carried out at the Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Industry in St. Petersburg, as well as at the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
However, it is not yet clear whether Russian scientists will be able to achieve the goals set in the recently adopted ambitious program. Although Severinov hopes to help achieve these goals - he once compared working in Russia with "swimming in a pool without water" - he believes that this program does not affect the "inhumanely bad" working conditions for specialists in the field of biological sciences, including bureaucracy and poor supply of materials and equipment.
The scientist who asked not to be named also doubts the schedule for the implementation of the new program. “I am confident that the government will spend the allocated money and declare that this program is a huge success. But I am less sure that some new species will appear next year. Maybe it will happen later."
According to Kochetov, the goals contained in the new program are realistic. "This research program will provide promising products - no doubt about that." He believes that private companies can increase funding for gene editing research, as the law is now clearer. However, he believes that some legal uncertainties remain, and therefore additional regulation will need to be introduced in order to be able to bring to the market any organisms obtained through this program.
And Li (Yi Li), a biologist at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, considers the launch of this program "a significant step" for both Russia and the world. In his opinion, this could prompt China to increase investment in gene editing technologies, and also help to increase interest in such technologies in the United States. “For European countries, this could be a very interesting development, given the European Court of Justice's decision on gene editing,” he adds.
Olga Dobrovidova