GM cropsPub Date : 2011-06-01DOI: 10.4161/gmcr.2.3.18476
Alessandro Chiarabolli
{"title":"Coexistence between conventional, organic and GM crops production: the Portuguese system.","authors":"Alessandro Chiarabolli","doi":"10.4161/gmcr.2.3.18476","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4161/gmcr.2.3.18476","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The objective of this paper is to analyze the way of Portugal is addressing the issue of the coexistence between conventional, organic and Genetically Modified (GM) crops production. In the EU, no form of agriculture, be it conventional, organic or transgenic, should be excluded. Farmers are free to choose the production type they prefer, without being forced to change patterns already established in the area and without spending more resources. Farmers' choice of growing GM or non-GM crops depends not only on technical aspects related to the productivity gains and agronomic benefits to be gained from adopting this technology, but also on consumers' preferences. Today only few Member States have adopted specific legislation on coexistence. Portugal was one of the first European Country that, in 2005, adopted a coexistence law and it has implemented one of the most complete systems of coexistence regulation. Today Portugal has a well-balanced regime based on free choice for consumers and growers. It has a coexistence system complete regulation and farmers who wish to cultivate GM maize must fulfill with national coexistence legislation that includes the following compulsory rules: participate in specific coexistence training courses, register the cultivation area, inform by written notification about their intent to cultivate GM, apply measures of coexistence, among others.</p>","PeriodicalId":89376,"journal":{"name":"GM crops","volume":"2 3","pages":"138-43"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.4161/gmcr.2.3.18476","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"30333045","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
GM cropsPub Date : 2011-06-01DOI: 10.4161/gmcr.2.3.17869
Rod A Herman, Christina M Dunville, Daland R Juberg, Dale W Fletcher, Gary L Cromwell
{"title":"Performance of broiler chickens fed diets containing DAS-68416-4 soybean meal.","authors":"Rod A Herman, Christina M Dunville, Daland R Juberg, Dale W Fletcher, Gary L Cromwell","doi":"10.4161/gmcr.2.3.17869","DOIUrl":"10.4161/gmcr.2.3.17869","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Broiler chickens are a fast growing monogastric animal commonly used to evaluate the equivalence between transgenic and non-transgenic grains as part of the human safety assessment process. While commonly viewed like other livestock feeding trials, such studies are performed with transgenic crops with input traits (that are not designed to improve nutrition) to aid regulatory authorities in evaluating safety. Studies of this type are actually more similar to toxicology studies in purpose, with sensitive endpoints like growth used to detect metabolic perturbations. DAS-68416-4 soybean expresses the aryloxyalkanoate dioxygenase-12 (AAD-12) enzyme which inactivates 2,4-diclorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and provides DAS-68416-4 soybeans tolerance to this herbicide. DAS-68416-4 also expresses the phosphinothricin acetyltransferase (PAT) enzyme from Streptomyces viridochromogenes which confers tolerance to glufosinate-ammonium herbicides. A 6-week broiler study was conducted with diets containing toasted DAS-68416-4 soybean meal (40, 36, and 32% in starter, grower and finisher diets, respectively) to evaluate nutritional wholesomeness and safety compared with conventional comparators. Toasting soybean meal is required to inactivate endogenous antinutrients making soybean suitable for consumption by monogastric animals like broiler chickens. Toasting was found to denature both the AAD-12 and PAT proteins rendering them non-detectable by enzyme linked immunosorbent assays. Broiler growth and performance parameters were measured over a 6-week period of exposure to diets containing different sources of toasted soybean meal, and results indicate that DAS-68416-4 soybean is nutritionally equivalent to non-transgenic soybean.</p>","PeriodicalId":89376,"journal":{"name":"GM crops","volume":"2 3","pages":"169-75"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.4161/gmcr.2.3.17869","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"30071901","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
GM cropsPub Date : 2011-04-01DOI: 10.4161/gmcr.2.2.17316
Nina V Fedoroff
{"title":"Burdensome and unnecessary regulation.","authors":"Nina V Fedoroff","doi":"10.4161/gmcr.2.2.17316","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4161/gmcr.2.2.17316","url":null,"abstract":"If there was ever regulation that was both hugely burdensome and unnecessary, it’s GM crop regulation. Yet even as the administration seeks to eliminate unnecessary regulation, the EPA is proposing to expand its regulatory purview over GM crops.","PeriodicalId":89376,"journal":{"name":"GM crops","volume":"2 2","pages":"87-8"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.4161/gmcr.2.2.17316","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"29992205","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
GM cropsPub Date : 2011-04-01DOI: 10.4161/gmcr.2.2.16335
Sandeep Kumar, Amita Misra, Alok Kumar Verma, Ruchi Roy, Anurag Tripathi, Kausar M Ansari, Mukul Das, Premendra D Dwivedi
{"title":"Bt brinjal in India: a long way to go.","authors":"Sandeep Kumar, Amita Misra, Alok Kumar Verma, Ruchi Roy, Anurag Tripathi, Kausar M Ansari, Mukul Das, Premendra D Dwivedi","doi":"10.4161/gmcr.2.2.16335","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4161/gmcr.2.2.16335","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Brinjal occupies the major proportion amongst all vegetable crops in India and is vulnerable to many diseases caused by insect-pests, fungus, bacteria and virus. Brinjal production is extensively affected by the insect brinjal fruit and shoot borer. Use of conventional chemical pesticides not only damage environment including the biotic and abiotic components but, also affect human health. Bt Brinjal was developed to combat brinjal fruit and shoot borer that has an advantage minimizing use of chemical pesticides. Extensive biosafety investigations, nutritional studies, substantial equivalence studies, relative toxicity and allergenicity assessment using animal models like Sprague Dawley rats, Brown Norway rats, rabbit, fish, chicken, goats, etc. revealed no significant differences between genetically modified brinjal and its native counterpart. Bt brinjal could effectively control the target pest and was found to be safe for environment and human health. In spite of all the scientific studies, release of Bt Brinjal has been put under moratorium. Indian government has constituted an expert committee to address this issue. In this review we have tried to explore the facts related to Bt Brinjal including its production, use of Bt toxin, use of chemical pesticides in controlling the FSB in native brinjal, along with perspective of public opinion and government initiatives. Key words: Bt Brinjal, agriculture, insecticides, GM foods, agrobacterium, transgenic crops.</p>","PeriodicalId":89376,"journal":{"name":"GM crops","volume":"2 2","pages":"92-8"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.4161/gmcr.2.2.16335","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"30097890","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
GM cropsPub Date : 2011-04-01DOI: 10.4161/gmcr.2.2.16126
Lin Cai, Lin Fu, Lianghui Ji
{"title":"Regeneration of Jatropha curcas through efficient somatic embryogenesis and suspension culture.","authors":"Lin Cai, Lin Fu, Lianghui Ji","doi":"10.4161/gmcr.2.2.16126","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4161/gmcr.2.2.16126","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>.Using immature zygotic embryos as explants, we have developed an efficient method for somatic embryogenesis in three germplasm accessions collected from China, India and Indonesia. Indirect somatic embryogenesis was achieved when endosperm tissue and immature embryos between 0.5-1.0 cm in length were cultured in a medium with 2,4-D, preferably at 5-10 mg/l, followed by a shift to a hormone-free medium supplemented with glutamine and asparagine. Production of secondary embryos was improved by supplementing KNO3, glutamine and asparagine. 2,4-D (0.1-0.2 mg/l). PEG 8000 (5-10%) were essential for maintenance of embryogenic calli in liquid medium. Regeneration of soil-ready plants took as short as 3 months using the suspension cultures. Over 95% of the regenerated trees were able to flower and set seeds with no discernable morphological abnormality. This regeneration method is expected to facilitate the development of more efficient transformation system for Jatropha curcas.</p>","PeriodicalId":89376,"journal":{"name":"GM crops","volume":"2 2","pages":"110-7"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.4161/gmcr.2.2.16126","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"30097891","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
GM cropsPub Date : 2011-04-01DOI: 10.4161/gmcr.2.2.17254
Magdy M Mahfouz, Lixin Li
{"title":"TALE nucleases and next generation GM crops.","authors":"Magdy M Mahfouz, Lixin Li","doi":"10.4161/gmcr.2.2.17254","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4161/gmcr.2.2.17254","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Site-specific and adaptable DNA binding domains are essential modules to develop genome engineering technologies for crop improvement. Transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs) proteins are used to provide a highly specific and adaptable DNA binding modules. TALE chimeric nucleases (TALENs) were used to generate site-specific double strand breaks (DSBs) in vitro and in yeast, Caenorhabditis elegans, mammalian and plant cells. The genomic DSBs can be generated at predefined and user-selected loci and repaired by either the non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) or homology dependent repair (HDR). Thus, TALENs can be used to achieve site-specific gene addition, stacking, deletion or inactivation. TALE-based genome engineering tools should be powerful to develop new agricultural biotechnology approaches for crop improvement. Here, we discuss the recent research and the potential applications of TALENs to accelerate the generation of genomic variants through targeted mutagenesis and to produce a non-transgenic GM crops with the desired phenotype.</p>","PeriodicalId":89376,"journal":{"name":"GM crops","volume":"2 2","pages":"99-103"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.4161/gmcr.2.2.17254","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"30097889","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
GM cropsPub Date : 2011-04-01DOI: 10.4161/gmcr.2.2.16125
Awah Anna Amian, Jutta Papenbrock, Hans-Jörg Jacobsen, Fathi Hassan
{"title":"Enhancing transgenic pea (Pisum sativum L.) resistance against fungal diseases through stacking of two antifungal genes (chitinase and glucanase).","authors":"Awah Anna Amian, Jutta Papenbrock, Hans-Jörg Jacobsen, Fathi Hassan","doi":"10.4161/gmcr.2.2.16125","DOIUrl":"10.4161/gmcr.2.2.16125","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>One way of enhancing and broadening resistance of plants to different biotic and abiotic stresses is to combine transgenes expressing several genes into a single line. This can be done using different strategies such as crossing, single vector with multiple genes, co-transformation, sequential transformation and IRES elements. In the present study conventional crossing method was used. Parental transgenic lines transformed via Agrobacterium tumefasciens-mediated gene transformation with pGreenII binary vector harbouring a bar gene as selectable marker in combination with the family 19 chitinase gene from Streptomyces olivaceoviridis for one line and 1,3-β-glucanase from barley (Hordeum vulgare) for the other line were used for crossing. Both chitinase and glucanase genes were cloned into pGreenII vector under the control of the constitutive double 35S-promoter from cauliflower mosaic virus. Progenies expressing the two genes were characterised at the molecular level using PCR, RT-PCR and Southern blot analysis, as well as segregation and stability studies of the respective expression levels. Leaf paint assay was used as functional test for herbicide resistant gene. Stable inheritance of the antifungal genes in the transgenic plants was demonstrated. The synergistic effect of crossed plants was tested using in vitro assay which shows higher inhibition of spore germination.</p>","PeriodicalId":89376,"journal":{"name":"GM crops","volume":"2 2","pages":"104-9"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.4161/gmcr.2.2.16125","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"30184661","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
GM cropsPub Date : 2011-04-01DOI: 10.4161/gmcr.2.2.16191
Suchitra Kamle, Abhishek Ojha, Arvind Kumar
{"title":"Development of an enzyme linked immunosorbant assay for the detection of Cry2Ab Protein in transgenic plants.","authors":"Suchitra Kamle, Abhishek Ojha, Arvind Kumar","doi":"10.4161/gmcr.2.2.16191","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4161/gmcr.2.2.16191","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Immunoassays' a sensitive technique has a wide application for detection of antigen, especially for the detection of growing genetically modified crops, which are underwent field trial. Here, we have developed for the quantitative detection of Cry2Ab protein expressed in GM crops. A Cry2Ab-rabbit-IgG act as capture antibody and Cry2Ab mouse monoclonal antibody behave as a detecting antibody, which is employed in sandwich ELISA. A 2% polyvinylpyrrollidone and 1% dithiothritol was utilized in protein extraction from cotton seed to avert interfering agents. The developed assay was validated with GM cotton samples, limit of detection was found 1 pg/ml and range to a limit of quantification 16 pg/ml. The developed immunoassay does not show any cross reactivity with other non target GM proteins like Cry1Ab, Cry1Ac, EPSPS, Vip.</p>","PeriodicalId":89376,"journal":{"name":"GM crops","volume":"2 2","pages":"118-25"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.4161/gmcr.2.2.16191","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"29991172","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
GM cropsPub Date : 2011-04-01DOI: 10.4161/gmcr.2.2.17288
Dessoky S Eldessoky, Roba M Ismail, Abdel-Hadi A Abdel-Hadi, Naglaa A Abdallah
{"title":"Establishment of regeneration and transformation system of sugarcane cultivar GT54-9 (C9).","authors":"Dessoky S Eldessoky, Roba M Ismail, Abdel-Hadi A Abdel-Hadi, Naglaa A Abdallah","doi":"10.4161/gmcr.2.2.17288","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4161/gmcr.2.2.17288","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Plant regeneration protocols for sugarcane GT54-9(C9) cultivar were developed for direct organogenesis and indirect somatic embryogenesis, using young leaf segments as explants by studying the influence of different concentrations and types of cytokinin and auxin hormones. For the callus formation from young leaves, a medium containing 4mg/l 2,4-D was found very effective. For embryo formation, MS medium supplemented with 1mg/l Kin and 0.5 mg/l 2,4-D was used. While in the case of direct organogenesis protocol, the medium containing 1mg/l BAP and 2mg/l NAA was the best for direct shoot formation. Data showed that the best shoot regeneration and elongation medium for direct organogenesis and indirect somatic embryogenesis was obtained on medium with 2 mg/l Kin and 0.1 mg/l BAP. Root induction was best performed on 2mg/l NAA and complete plantlets were hardened in the greenhouse before transferring to the field for further evaluation. For transformation, young leaf segments of sugarcane from the cultivar GT54-9(C9) were inoculated and co-cultivated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LB4404 harboring the binary vector pISV2678 with the bar and the gus-intron genes. The obtained putative transgenic plantlets were able to grow under bialaphose containing medium. Stable integration of the bar gene into the plant genomes was tested by PCR and Southern blot hybridization. Histochemical assay and leaf painting analysis were carried out to study the expression of the gus and bar genes in transgenic plants, respectively. The results indicated that the direct organogenesis produced a higher yield of regenerated plants (22% more) within shorter time (4 weeks less). Therefore, this method is recommended for sugarcane regeneration and for further use in genetic transformation via A. tumefaciens with desired genes.</p>","PeriodicalId":89376,"journal":{"name":"GM crops","volume":"2 2","pages":"126-34"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.4161/gmcr.2.2.17288","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"29992202","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
GM cropsPub Date : 2011-04-01DOI: 10.4161/gmcr.2.2.17504
Nunzia Scotti, Vladimir T Valkov, Teodoro Cardi
{"title":"Improvement of plastid transformation efficiency in potato by using vectors with homologous flanking sequences.","authors":"Nunzia Scotti, Vladimir T Valkov, Teodoro Cardi","doi":"10.4161/gmcr.2.2.17504","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4161/gmcr.2.2.17504","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Low transformation frequencies limit the use of plastid transformation in potato and other crops. Hence, a breakthrough in chloroplast genetic engineering of agronomically important species is a highly desirable goal. We succeeded in achieving potato transformation efficiency up to one shoot every bombardment using a modified regeneration procedure and novel vectors containing potato flanking sequences for transgene integration by homologous recombination in the Large Single Copy region of the plastome. Vector delivery was performed by the biolistic approach. Such efficiency corresponds to 15-18-fold improvement compared to previous results obtained in potato with a progenitor vector of that used in our study, and is comparable to that usually achieved with tobacco. The results obtained represent a significant advancement towards the implementation of the plastid transformation technology in potato breeding and biotechnology.</p>","PeriodicalId":89376,"journal":{"name":"GM crops","volume":"2 2","pages":"89-91"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.4161/gmcr.2.2.17504","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"30097888","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}