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Avisar D, Manoeli A, dos Santos AA, Porto ACDM, Rocha CDS, Zauza E, Gonzalez ER, Soliman E, Gonsalves JMW, Bombonato L, Galan MP, Domingues MM, Candelaria MC, Mafia R, Graça RN, Azulay S, Livne S, Dias TB, Drezza TR, Silva WJ, Pinheiro AC. Genetically engineered eucalyptus expressing pesticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis for insect resistance: a risk assessment evaluation perspective. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 12:1322985. [PMID: 38562667 PMCID: PMC10982518 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1322985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Eucalyptus covers approximately 7.5 million hectares in Brazil and serves as the primary woody species cultivated for commercial purposes. However, native insects and invasive pests pose a significant threat to eucalyptus trees, resulting in substantial economic losses and reduced forest productivity. One of the primary lepidopteran pests affecting eucalyptus is Thyrinteina arnobia (Stoll, 1782) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), commonly referred to as the brown looper caterpillar. To address this issue, FuturaGene, the biotech division of Suzano S.A., has developed an insect-resistant (IR) eucalyptus variety, which expresses Cry pesticidal proteins (Cry1Ab, Cry1Bb, and Cry2Aa), derived from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Following extensive safety assessments, including field trials across various biomes in Brazil, the Brazilian National Technical Commission of Biosafety (CTNBio) recently approved the commercialization of IR eucalyptus. The biosafety assessments involved the analysis of molecular genomics, digestibility, thermostability, non-target organism exposure, degradability in the field, and effects on soil microbial communities and arthropod communities. In addition, in silico studies were conducted to evaluate allergenicity and toxicity. Results from both laboratory and field studies indicated that Bt eucalyptus is as safe as the conventional eucalyptus clone for humans, animals, and the environment, ensuring the secure use of this insect-resistant trait in wood production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dror Avisar
- FuturaGene Israel Ltd. (R&D), Rehovot, Israel
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Maria P. Galan
- Suzano S.A. (FuturaGene—Biotech Division), Itapetininga, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Sivan Livne
- FuturaGene Israel Ltd. (R&D), Rehovot, Israel
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Avisar D, Azulay S, Bombonato L, Carvalho D, Dallapicolla H, de Souza C, Dos Santos A, Dias T, Galan MP, Galvao M, Gonsalves JM, Gonzales E, Graça R, Livne S, Mafia R, Manoeli A, May M, Menezes TRD, Pinheiro AC, Porto A, Rocha C, Schafer A, Schafer B, Zauza E, Silva W. Safety Assessment of the CP4 EPSPS and NPTII Proteins in Eucalyptus. GM Crops Food 2023; 14:1-14. [PMID: 37334790 DOI: 10.1080/21645698.2023.2222436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
Glyphosate herbicide treatment is essential to sustainable Eucalyptus plantation management in Brazil. Eucalyptus is highly sensitive to glyphosate, and Suzano/FuturaGene has genetically modified eucalyptus to tolerate glyphosate, with the aim of both protecting eucalyptus trees from glyphosate application damage and improving weed management. This study presents the biosafety results of the glyphosate-tolerant eucalyptus event 751K032, which expresses the selection marker neomycin phosphotransferase II (NPTII) enzyme and CP4-EPSPS, a glyphosate-tolerant variant of plant 5-enolpyruvyl-shikimate-3-phosphate synthase enzyme. The transgenic genetically modified (GM) event 751K032 behaved in the plantations like conventional non-transgenic eucalyptus clone, FGN-K, and had no effects on arthropods and soil microorganisms. The engineered NPTII and CP4 EPSPS proteins were heat-labile, readily digestible, and according to the bioinformatics analyses, unlikely to cause an allergenic or toxic reaction in humans or animals. This assessment of the biosafety of the glyphosate-tolerant eucalyptus event 751K032 concludes that it is safe to be used for wood production.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lorena Bombonato
- Suzano S.A. (FuturaGene - Biotech Division), Itapetininga, Brazil
| | - Denise Carvalho
- Suzano S.A. (FuturaGene - Biotech Division), Itapetininga, Brazil
| | | | - Carla de Souza
- Suzano S.A. (FuturaGene - Biotech Division), Itapetininga, Brazil
| | | | - Tatiane Dias
- Suzano S.A. (FuturaGene - Biotech Division), Itapetininga, Brazil
| | | | - Milton Galvao
- Suzano S.A. (FuturaGene - Biotech Division), Itapetininga, Brazil
| | | | - Esteban Gonzales
- Suzano S.A. (FuturaGene - Biotech Division), Itapetininga, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Graça
- Suzano S.A. (FuturaGene - Biotech Division), Itapetininga, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Mike May
- R&D, FuturaGene Israel Ltd, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | | | - Antonio Porto
- Suzano S.A. (FuturaGene - Biotech Division), Itapetininga, Brazil
| | - Carolina Rocha
- Suzano S.A. (FuturaGene - Biotech Division), Itapetininga, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - William Silva
- W J Silva Consultoria Agricola S/C LTDA, Jardinópolis, Brazil
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