Bioscience Evidence 2025, Vol.15, No.5, 228-236 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/be 233 6.5 Public perception and acceptance Low-gluten wheat can help patients with celiac disease, but most people do not need a gluten-free diet. The limited acceptance of gene-edited and genetically modified crops by the public, coupled with the sometimes misleading media, may lead some healthy people to blindly choose gluten-free foods, which instead affects nutritional balance (Gil-Humanes et al., 2014; Sharma et al., 2020). Therefore, it is of great significance to enhance popular science publicity and risk communication. 7 Future Perspectives 7.1 Combining genetic editing with breeding strategies To reduce gluten in wheat in the future, gene editing (such as CRISPR/Cas9) and molecular marker-assisted breeding (MAS) can be combined. First, use CRISPR/Cas9 to knock out or modify the immune epitopes in α-, γ-, and ω -alcohol-soluble proteins. Then, through molecular marker screening and backcrossing, introduce the low trough protein traits into the main cultivated varieties (Jouanin et al., 2019; 2020; Sharma et al., 2020; Wang et al., 2020; Bennur et al., 2024). This combination of multiple methods can maintain both yield and quality simultaneously, and also make up for the deficiencies of a single method, improving the safety and practicability of new varieties (Jouanin et al., 2017; 2019; 2020). 7.2 Toward personalized wheat varieties for different dietary needs As research on celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity deepens, in the future, different types of wheat can be developed according to the needs of different groups of people. For instance, wheat without immune epitopes was designed for patients with celiac disease, while some gluten was retained for healthy people to ensure dough quality (Wang et al., 2020; Pourmohammadi et al., 2023). This can make wheat varieties more diverse, meeting both health needs and preserving the taste of food (Jouanin et al., 2017; Wang et al., 2020; Pourmohammadi et al., 2023). 7.3 Advances in multi-omics approaches (genomics, proteomics, immunopeptidomics) The development of multi-omics technology has greatly accelerated the analysis and functional research of gluten genes. High-throughput sequencing can quickly identify target genes. Proteomic and immune peptide profiling analysis can locate immune epitopes, monitor the effect of gene editing, and also evaluate overall protein changes (Jouanin et al., 2019; Sharma et al., 2020; Wang et al., 2020). These methods provide strong support for screening safe materials and optimizing protein composition (Jouanin et al., 2019; Wang et al., 2020). 7.4 Potential of synthetic biology for novel low-gluten grains Synthetic biology offers people the opportunity to redesign protein structures and even create brand-new grains. Low protein grains without immunogenicity but maintaining ideal dough performance can be obtained through artificial synthesis or gene reconstruction (Wang et al., 2020; Li et al., 2021). Meanwhile, synthetic biology can also be used to cultivate alternative low protein crops, providing more raw material sources for healthy foods (Li et al., 2021). 8 Conclusion In recent years, researchers have employed a variety of genetic methods to reduce the gluten content in wheat and lower the risk of diseases such as celiac disease. Common methods include RNA interference (RNAi), CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, TILLING (targeted mutagenesis), and molecular marker-assisted breeding. RNAi and CRISPR/Cas9 can efficiently silence or knock out α-, γ-, and ω -alcohol-soluble protein genes, significantly reducing gluten content and immune reactivity. TILLING, on the other hand, screens mutants through mutagenesis to achieve non-transgenic trough protein breeding. The progress of molecular markers and genomics has also accelerated the breeding of superior low-gluten wheat strains. These methods can not only provide safer staple foods for people with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, but also meet the global demand for healthy food. Low immunogenicity wheat is expected to reduce people's reliance on a strict gluten-free diet and improve the quality of life of patients. At the same time, it can also maintain the processing performance of the dough, facilitating the production of foods such as bread. The promotion of low-gluten wheat will also drive the diversification and innovation of the health food market.
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