Glufosinate Resistance Level is Proportional to Phosphinothricin Acetyltransferase Gene Expression in Glufosinate-Resistant Maize

Food safety assessment of genetically modified soybean DBN9004×DBN8002×DBN8205 in a subchronic rodent feeding study

Soybeans provide a nutritionally complete plant-based protein, containing all nine essential amino acids and bioactive compounds. The food safety of a novel triple-stacked genetically modified (GM) soybean, DBN9004 × DBN8002 × DBN8205 was evaluated in a 90-day rat feeding study. The GM soybean, developed through conventional hybridization of three GM lines (DBN9004, DBN8002 and DBN8205), incorporates genes conferring resistance to glyphosate (epsps), glufosinate (pat), and lepidopteran pests (cry1Ac, cry2Ab2, and mVip3Aa). One hundred Wistar Han RCC rats were divided into five groups (n = 10/sex/group) and fed diets containing 15 % or 30 % GM soybean, non-GM soybean (Jack), or a basal diet for 90 days. No treatment-related effects on body weight/gain, food consumption/utilization, clinical signs, mortality, ophthalmology, clinical pathology (hematology, prothrombin time, urinalysis, serum chemistry), organ weights, and gross and microscopic pathology were observed in rats fed with the GM soybean compared to the non-GM Jack and the basal-diet group. In rats, the results of this 90-day feeding study suggest that there were no significant differences in safety between GM soybean DBN9004 × DBN8002 × DBN8205 compared to the non-GM Jack.

A Study on Genetically Engineered Foods: Need, Benefits, Risk, and Current Knowledge

Food requirements have always been a top priority, and with the exponential growth of the human population, there is an increasing need for large quantities of food. Traditional cultivation methods are not able to meet the current demand for food products. One significant challenge is the shortened shelf-life of naturally occurring food items, which directly contributes to food scarcity. Contaminating substances such as weeds and pests play a crucial role in this issue. In response, researchers have introduced genetically engineered (GE) food as a potential solution. These food products are typically created by adding or replacing genes in the DNA of naturally occurring foods. GE foods offer various advantages, including increased quality and quantity of food production, adaptability to various climatic conditions, modification of vitamin and mineral levels, and prolonged shelf life. They address the major concerns of global food scarcity and food security. However, the techniques used in the production of GE foods may not be universally acceptable due to the genetic alteration of animal genes into plants or vice versa. Additionally, their unique nature necessitates further long-term studies. This study delves into the procedures and growth stages of DNA sequencing, covering the benefits, risks, industrial relevance, current knowledge, and future challenges of GE foods. GE foods have the potential to extend the shelf life of food items, alleviate food shortages, and fulfill the current nutritional food demand.

Assessment of genetically modified maize DP202216 for food and feed uses, under Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 (application EFSA-GMO-NL-2019-159)

Genetically modified maize DP202216 was developed to confer tolerance to glufosinate-ammonium-containing herbicides and to provide an opportunity for yield enhancement under field conditions. These properties were achieved by introducing the mo-pat and zmm28 expression cassettes. The molecular characterisation data and bioinformatic analyses do not identify issues requiring food/feed safety assessment. None of the identified differences in the agronomic/phenotypic and compositional characteristics tested between maize DP202216 and its comparator needs further assessment, except for the levels of stearic acid (C18:0), which do not raise nutritional and safety concerns. The GMO Panel does not identify safety concerns regarding the toxicity and allergenicity of the PAT and ZMM28 proteins as expressed in maize DP202216, and finds no evidence that the genetic modification would change the overall allergenicity of maize DP202216. In the context of this application, the consumption of food and feed from maize DP202216 does not represent a nutritional concern in humans and animals. The GMO Panel concludes that maize DP202216 is as safe as the comparator and non-GM reference varieties tested, and no post-market monitoring of food/feed is considered necessary. In the case of accidental release of viable maize DP202216 grains into the environment, this would not raise environmental safety concerns. The post-market environmental monitoring plan and reporting intervals are in line with the intended uses of maize DP202216. The GMO Panel concludes that maize DP202216 is as safe as its comparator and the tested non-GM reference varieties with respect to potential effects on human and animal health and the environment.

Identification and characterization of a phosphinothricin N-acetyltransferase from Enterobacter LSJC7

Phosphinothricin (PPT) is a widely used and non-selective herbicide. PPT-resistance genes, especially PPT N-acetyltransferase genes, have been used in the development of transgenic PPT-resistant crops. However, there are only a limited number of available PPT-resistance genes for use in plant biotechnology. In this study, we found that Enterobacter LSJC7 is highly resistant to PPT and can acetylate PPT to N-acetyl phosphinothricin (Ac-PPT). Furthermore, a novel PPT N-acetyltransferase gene, named LsarsN, was identified from LSJC7. When LsarsN was expressed in E. coli AW3110, it confered resistance to PPT. Ac-PPT was detected in both the culture medium and cells of AW3110 expressing the LsarsN-pET22b plasmid. The purified LsArsN protein also showed strong N-acetylation ability in vitro, and its enzymatic kinetic curve was fitted with the Michaelis-Mentan equation. Compared with wild-type LsArsN, both R72A and R74A mutants showed significantly lower PPT N-acetylation ability. In summary, our results systematically characterized LsArsN with strong ability for PPT N-acetylation, which lays the groundwork for future research into the use of this novel gene, LsarsN, to create PPT-resistant crops.

A bHLH transcription factor from Chenopodium glaucum confers drought tolerance to transgenic maize by positive regulation of morphological and physiological performances and stress-responsive genes' expressions

The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor has been shown to play an important role in various physiological processes. However, its functions and mechanisms in drought tolerance still remain poorly understood. Here, we reported a bHLH transcription factor - CgbHLH001 - from Chenopodium glaucum, which was able to confer drought tolerance in maize. CgbHLH001-overexpressed maize lines exhibited drought-tolerant phenotype and improved ear traits by accumulating the contents of soluble sugar and proline and elevating the activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, and CAT) under drought stress, accompanying with the upregulation of some stress-related genes, which may balance the redox and osmotic homeostasis compared with the non-transgenic and CgbHLH001-RNAi plants. These findings suggest that CgbHLH001 can confer drought tolerance and has the potential for utilization in improving drought resistance in maize breeding.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11032-021-01267-4.