自然：俄羅斯轉向開始擁抱基因編輯（福利在文末）_風聞

**基因農業網（Panda）編譯：**據《自然》雜誌（Nature）報道，一項耗資17億美元的項目在俄羅斯準備啓動，計劃在未來十年內開發30種基因編輯的植物和動物品種。

俄羅斯要擁抱基因編輯技術時代了。最近的一項俄聯邦項目耗資1110億盧布（約合17億美元），旨在到2020年時創造10種基因編輯作物和動物新品種，然後到2027年時再增加20種。

位於新西伯利亞的俄羅斯科學院（RAS）西伯利亞分院的細胞學和遺傳學研究所主任Alexey Kochetov對該研究項目表示歡迎，並指出，在**過去的數十年中，俄羅斯遺傳學已經長期資金短缺。**20世紀90年代前蘇聯解體後，俄羅斯科學經費急劇下降，至今，俄羅斯仍然落後於其他大國：2017年，俄羅斯國內生產總值中僅有1.11％用於研究，而在中國這一數值是2.13％，在美國則是2.79％。

但是一些研究人員懷疑這些目標是否能夠按時完成，並認為該項目並不能解決他們面臨的其他問題，例如過度的官僚主義。

目前還不清楚所稱的1110億盧布是否包括在現有的聯邦民用科學預算之內。2018年該項預算資金為3640億盧布，其中220億盧布用於遺傳學研究，或者也可能在現有預算的基礎上增加新的資金。

這項於4月份宣佈的項目，也同樣引起了人們對法規監管的興趣，因為這一項目意味着一些基因編輯產品將不受2016年通過的禁種法律約束。後者規定，俄羅斯境內禁止種植轉基因（GM）生物，研究目的除外。以前，人們並不清楚基因編輯的生物是否受該禁令管轄。

與轉基因的區別

2016年的禁種法律將轉基因生物描述為通過“不能由自然過程產生”的基因修飾得到的生物。但是，建立新計劃的法令中對基因編輯技術（例如CRISPR-Cas9，它不一定會插入外源DNA）作出的描述則是：與傳統的育種方法相當。

俄羅斯RAS某研究所的一名科學家（該科學家因害怕職業反應而要求保持匿名）稱，這對俄羅斯研究人員來説是一個值得慶幸的進展，其中許多研究人員因2016年禁令的不確定性而失去動力。

該法令的措辭與美國農業部門的立場相吻合，後者在去年表示，它沒有計劃規範“原本可以通過傳統育種技術開發的植物”，包括基因編輯物種——儘管基因編輯動物的情況尚不明朗，因為它由食品和藥物管理局負責監管。

相比之下，2018年7月歐盟最高法院宣稱，基因編輯作物受到與傳統轉基因生物相同的嚴格規定。許多科學家認為這種裁決會妨礙研究。

Konstantin Severinov是參與建立該政府項目的一名分子遺傳學家，他告訴《自然》雜誌，這對於俄羅斯不被排除在全球CRISPR研究大潮之外非常重要，該項目的目標之一就是讓俄羅斯減少對進口作物的依賴。

“儘管自認為是一個麪包籃，但是當提到優良的作物品種時，俄羅斯卻高度依賴進口，所以政府確實需要決定做些什麼，” Severinov説，他的工作往返於新澤西州皮斯卡塔韋的羅格斯大學和莫斯科附近的斯可科沃科學技術研究所之間。“幸運的是，一些RAS成員設法證明了CRISPR-Cas9是一件好事。”

大麥和甜菜

最新這項法令列出了**四種作物（大麥、甜菜、小麥和土豆）作為重點作物。**據FAO數據，俄羅斯是世界上最大的大麥生產國，也是其他三大作物的主要生產國。

對這些作物的基因編輯改良已經開展。莫斯科RAS研究所的科學家正在開發抗病的馬鈴薯和甜菜品種。另一項基因編輯研究正在聖彼得堡的瓦維洛夫植物工業研究所以及RAS細胞學和遺傳學研究所進行，旨在使大麥和小麥更易於加工和更有營養。

但目前還不清楚俄羅斯科學家是否能夠實現該計劃雄心勃勃的目標。儘管曾參與過制定該計劃，Severinov曾經説過一句很有名的話，將在俄羅斯工作形容成就像“在沒有水的游泳池裏游泳”，因其沒有解決在俄羅斯進行生命科學研究的“非人道的不良”條件，包括官僚的繁文縟節和物資供應不足。

一位不願意透露姓名的科學家對《自然》雜誌表示，懷疑該計劃的時間表，我相信政府會花錢並稱該計劃取得巨大成功。我不太相信明年會有任何新品種——也許是晚些時候。

Kochetov表示，該項目的目標是切合實際的。“毫無疑問，研究計劃將帶來有前途的產品。”他認為，因為現在的法律更加清晰，私人公司可能會加快基因編輯研究的資金投入。但他認為仍存在一些法律上的不確定性，並預計該項目中開發出的任何生物在進入市場前仍將需要進一步的監管。

美國康涅狄格大學斯托爾斯校區的植物科學家Yi Li表示，該計劃的推出對俄羅斯和全世界都是一次“重大舉措”。他説這可能促使中國在基因編輯技術上投入更多資金，並有助於提高美國對此類技術的熱情。 “對於歐洲國家而言，鑑於歐洲法院對基因組編輯作出裁決，這可能是一個非常有趣的發展，”他補充説。

李森科，前蘇聯生物學家，由於一系列政治因素而形成的“李森科主義”給前蘇聯以及後來的俄羅斯的生物遺傳學研究帶來了毀滅性的影響，至今沒有完全消除。

原文鏈接：https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-01519-6

中文翻譯：http://www.agrogene.cn/info-5585.shtml

翻頁看原文：

​Russia joins in global gene-editing bonanza

A US$1.7-billion programme aims to develop 30 gene-edited plant and animal varieties in the next decade.

Russia is embracing gene-editing. A 111-billion-rouble (US$1.7-billion) federal programme aims to create 10 new varieties of gene-edited crops and animals by 2020 — and another 20 by 2027.

Alexey Kochetov, director of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) Institute of Cytology and Genetics in Novosibirsk, welcomed the research programme, noting that genetics in Russia has been “chronically underfinanced” for decades. Funding for science plummeted in the 1990s following the break-up of the Soviet Union, and Russia still lags behind other major powers: in 2017, it spent 1.11% of its gross domestic product on research, compared with 2.13% in China and 2.79% in the United States.

But some researchers doubt that the goals can be met on time, and worry that the initiative does not address the other issues they face, such as excessive bureaucracy.

It is also not clear whether the 111 billion roubles is included in the existing federal civilian-science budget — which in 2018 was 364 billion roubles, with 22 billion roubles spent on genetics research — or whether it comes in addition to that budget.

The programme, which was announced in April, has also attracted interest because it suggests that some gene-edited products will now be exempt from a law passed in 2016 that prohibits the cultivation of genetically modified (GM) organisms in Russia, except for research purposes. Previously, it was not clear whether gene-edited organisms were included in the ban.

Transgenic distinction

The 2016 law describes GM organisms as those with gene modifications “that cannot result from natural processes”. But the decree that established the new programme describes gene-editing technologies such as CRISPR–Cas9 — which do not necessarily insert foreign DNA — as equivalent to conventional breeding methods.

That marks a welcome step for Russian researchers, many of whom were demotivated by the uncertainty of the 2016 ban, according to a scientist at a major institute of the RAS in Moscow who asked to remain anonymous for fear of professional repercussions.

The wording of the decree chimes with the stance of the US agriculture department, which last year said that it has no plans to regulate “plants that could otherwise have been developed through traditional breeding techniques”, including gene-edited species — although the situation isless clear with animals, which are overseen by the Food and Drug Administration.

By contrast, a July 2018 ruling from the European Union’s highest court declared that gene-edited crops are subject to the same tough regulations as conventional GM organisms — something many scientists said would hamper research.

Konstantin Severinov, a molecular geneticist who helped to develop the government programme, told Nature that is important that Russia is not sidelined in the world’s “CRISPR bonanza”, and that one goal of the programme is to make Russia less dependent on imported crops.

“Despite considering itself a bread basket, Russia is highly dependent on imports when it comes to elite crop varieties, so [the government decided] something needs to be done,” says Severinov, who splits his time between Rutgers University in Piscataway, New Jersey, and the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology near Moscow. “Luckily, a few RAS members managed to make the case that CRISPR–Cas9 is a good thing.”

Barley and beets

The decree lists four crops — barley, sugar beet, wheat and potatoes — as priorities. Russia is the world’s biggest producer of barley and a major producer of the other three, according to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations.

Projects to develop gene-edited versions of these crops are already under way. Scientists at RAS institutes in Moscow are developing pathogen-resistant varieties of potatoes and sugar beet. And gene-editing research aiming to make barley and wheat both easier to process and more nutritious is in progress at the Vavilov Research Institute of Plant Industry in St Petersburg, and at the RAS Institute of Cytology and Genetics.

But whether Russian scientists can meet the programme’s ambitious goals is unclear. Despite helping to develop the programme, Severinov — who once famously described working in Russia as like “swimming in a pool without water” — says that it does not address the “inhumanely bad” conditions for doing life-sciences research in Russia, including red tape and poor access to supplies.

The anonymous scientist who spoke to Nature also doubts the programme’s timeline: “I am sure [the government] will spend the money and call the programme a huge success. I am less confident there will actually be any new varieties by next year — perhaps later.”

Kochetov says that the initiative’s goals are realistic. “The research programme will bring promising products — there’s no doubt about it.” He says that private companies might accelerate funding for gene-editing research now that the law is clearer. But he thinks that some legal uncertainty remains, and predicts that further regulation will be required to bring to market any organisms developed under the programme.

Yi Li, a plant scientist at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, says that the programme’s launch is “a significant move” both for Russia and the world. He says that it could prompt China to invest more in gene-editing technologies, and help to fuel growing enthusiasm for such technologies in the United States. “For European countries, this can be a very interesting development in the light of the European court of justice ruling on genome editing,” he adds.

Nature 569, 319-320 (2019)

doi: 10.1038/d41586-019-01519-6

Until June 2018, Olga Dobrovidova was employed by TASS, a state-owned news agency in Russia.

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