Article

ISSN 0006-2979, Biochemistry (Moscow), 2025, Vol. 90, No. 6, p. 649 © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd., 2025.

Published in Russian in Biokhimiya, 2025, Vol. 90, No. 6, pp. 693-694.

649

EDITORIAL NOTES

Preface to the Special Issue

“Genetic Technologies in Medicine,

Agriculture, and Biotechnology”

Dmitry S. Kostyushev

1,2,3,a

* and Andrey A. Zamyatnin, Jr.

2,4,5,b

Laboratory of Genetic Technologies for Drug Development,

I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), 119991 Moscow, Russia

Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University,

119234 Moscow, Russia

Laboratory of Biochemistry of Viral Infections, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology,

Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia

A. N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University,

119992 Moscow, Russia

Department of Biological Chemistry,

I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), 119991 Moscow, Russia

e-mail: dkostushev@gmail.com

e-mail: zamyat@belozersky.msu.ru

DOI: 10.1134/S0006297925601741

The development of genetic technologies has

revolutionized various fields – from medicine to ag-

riculture – opening unprecedented opportunities for

addressing a range of global challenges. This special

issue is dedicated to cutting-edge advancements in

genetic technologies and demonstrates their potential

applications in the diagnosis and prediction of the

course and outcomes of various diseases, the devel-

opment of new therapeutic approaches and vaccines

based on genetic tools, as well as the creation of new

pathogen-resistant plants and biotechnological pro-

duction of proteins and peptides.

To date, hundreds of molecular tools have been

developed that allow for the modulation, editing, and

modification of the state of any molecules within the

DNA–RNA–protein continuum, as well as alterations to

their “tags” in the form of epigenetic, epitranscriptom-

ic, and epiproteomic states. Conducting experiments

aimed at the targeted modification of biomolecules

has become routine in molecular biology and genetic

engineering. Using genetic technologies, methods have

been established for treating human diseases (infec-

tious, oncological, hereditary, autoimmune, etc.). New

plants are being created with enhanced nutritional

value, resistance to pests, pathogens, or adverse weath-

er conditions, reduced levels of harmful compounds,

or increased shelf life of fruits. In industrial biotech-

nology, approaches are being developed to enhance

the beneficial properties of microbial strains – such

as increased product yields, fermentation processes,

bioremediation, and more. Many of these approaches

have rapidly transitioned into practice.

It is noteworthy that this special issue covers

nearly all key global trends in biomedicine and the

development of gene therapeutic approaches, ranging

from the use of new biomarkers for diagnosing and

managing patients with various diseases to the devel-

opment of therapeutic strategies and vaccines. The lat-

ter are represented by tools for which Nobel Prizes

have been awarded in the last two iterations – based

on CRISPR/Cas systems and mRNA. In addition to the

canonical use of CRISPR/Cas for editing the human ge-

nome, this issue includes studies on the application of

genetic technologies for treating viral infections and

creating virus-resistant plants, thereby extending be-

yond the realm of biomedicine to address issues in

agricultural biotechnology.

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