Global governance for digital sequence information on genetic resources: Demand, progress and reforming paths
| Published date | 01 May 2023 |
| Author | Geng Qin,Hanzhi Yu,Chao Wu |
| Date | 01 May 2023 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/1758-5899.13202 |
Global Policy. 2023;14:403– 415.
|
403
wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/gpol
1 | THE VALUE OF DSI AND THE
NEED FOR GLOBAL GOVERNANCE
Given the rapid development of biotechnology, digital
sequence information (DSI) on genetic resources is grad-
ually offering its independent value derived from ‘ physical’
genetic resources, and the cross- border transmission of
DSI becomes an emerging global governance is sue.
1.1 | Denition of DSI
There has yet to be an international consensus on the
definition of DSI. Different definitions involve different
stages and processes of gene information flow and
expression. The narrowest definition is currently lim-
ited to DNA and RNA information (nucleotide sequence
data). This narrower definition includes sequence and
epigenomic data, including D NA transcription, splicing
and RNA translation. According to this broader defin ition,
metabolomics data, as par t of upstream subsidiary infor-
mation, are also regarded as DSI. That definition contains
all the sequence data and upstream subsid iary infor-
mation. Downstream subsidiary information, including
metadata passport, biological behaviour data, traditional
knowledge and ecologic al interaction data (Houssen
et al., 2020; Figure 1). The Convention on Biological
Diversity has separated ‘physical’ genetic resources
of humans from those of other natural organisms (e.g.
PGR, AnGR, AqGR, FGR, MoGR, InGR) and unnatu-
ral organisms such as GMOs and LMO s. It defines DSI
as any material of actual or potential value that contains
functional units of genetics der ived from plants, animals,
microbes or other sources (Convention on Biological
Diversity [CBD], 1992). Note that every tentative and
possible definition of DSI excludes human DSI because
global governance for human genes belongs to other
regimes (Yu & Xue, 2019), which is beyond the scope
of all entities discussed in this paper (CBD, IPTGRRFA,
patents, etc.), primarily due to genetic privacy.
1.2 | The primary application
value of DSI
The development of a series of biotechnologies has
made DSI valuable. However, the value of technol-
ogy did not separate DSI from ‘physical’ biologi-
cal resources unt il the cost of gene sequencing was
reduced. Since the 1990s, the cost of gene se quencing
POLICY INSIGHTS
Global governance for digital sequence information on
genetic resources: Demand, progress and reforming paths
GengQin | HanzhiYu | ChaoWu
Received: 26 Sept ember 2022
|
Revised: 5 March 2 023
|
Accepted: 7 Marc h 2023
DO I: 10 .1111/17 58- 589 9.13 202
© 2023 Durham Unive rsity and John Wiley & So ns Ltd.
Geng Qin and Hanz hi Yu contributed equally to th is work.
School of Publi c Affairs, Zhejiang
University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
Correspondence
Hanzhi Yu, School of Pub lic Affairs,
Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058,
China.
Email: yuhz@zju.edu.cn
Funding information
National Natural Science Foundation of
China, Grant/Award Number: 72104214
Abstract
The cross- bor der transmission of digital sequence information (DSI) on genetic
resources is an emerging global governance is sue, particularly since its inclu-
sion in the post- 2020 framework of the Convention on Biological Diversit y. Based
on a brief review of the value of DSI and the need for global governance, this
paper identifies three elemental regimes o n ‘physical’ genetic resources that are
in conflict: divergent principles of sovereignty c laim, global multilateral sharing
and intellectual property r ights protection. It then traces the progress of each
elemental regime on DSI and describes the ir ongoing conflicts. Two reform strat-
egies for better governance are suggested: one gradual and path - dependent
and one more radical. The basis of the radica l strategy is to promote labour divi-
sion and cooperation among instituti ons of different elemental regimes within a
three- layered system of DSI values.
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