Genetically Modified Organisms Research Articles

A New Approach for Environmental Risk Assessments of Living Modified Organisms in South Korea

As the development and use of living modified organisms (LMOs) steadily increase, new risk assessment methods that reflect domestic natural ecosystems are being developed. Although LM plants are fundamentally necessary for environmental risk assessment, the introduced gene products and LMO proteins can replace transgenic plants. However, their use is problematic because of instability and indirect assessment data issues. This study proposes a risk assessment tool and scheme for introducing LMO proteins into genetically modified crops. The agroinfiltration method for transient LMO gene expression in plants is a practical tool which can be used to rapidly verify the putative risks of LMO proteins against insects using an LM crop mimic plant with a stably expressed LMO protein. This study used Nicotiana tabacum leaves, which transiently but stably expressed the insecticidal LMO protein Vip3Aa, for LMO risk assessments against Spodoptera litura. The Vip3Aa protein was stably expressed for 5 d in the agroinfiltrated plants, and the protein was active against target insects for environmental LMO risk assessments. In the toxicity evaluation of Vip3Aa-expressing plants against S. litura, the number of deaths was higher in the Vip3Aa-infiltrated N. tabacum-fed group than that in the recombinant Vip3Aa-fed group. In addition, the cumulative number of deaths in the infiltration leaf-fed group was approximately 12-fold higher than that in the protein-fed group under low dosage conditions. This study aimed to develop a transient expression model which can be used to evaluate whether the overall risk of LMO protein is acceptable for use. These results support the usefulness of the transient expression model using an agroinfiltration method as a rapid risk validation tool for LMO proteins against herbivorous insects before producing transgenic plants.

Mitigation of hazards and risks of emerging pollutants through innovative treatment techniques of post methanated distillery effluent - A review

Distillery wastewater has high biological and chemical oxygen demand and requires additional treatment before it can be safely discharged into receiving water. It is usually processed through a biomethanation digester and the end product is the post-methanated distillery effluent (PMDE). Research have shown that PMDE released by molasses-based distilleries is a hazardous effluent that can cause harm to the biota and the environment; it contains elevated amount of total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS) and excess levels of persistent organic compounds (POPs), heavy metals, phenolic compounds, and salts. The practice of wastewater reuse for irrigation in many water scarce countries necessitates the proper treatment of PMDE before it is discharged into receiving water. Convention methods have been in practice for decades, but innovative technologies are needed to enhance the efficiency of PMDE treatment. Advance physical treatment such as membrane separation technology using graphene, ion-exchange and ultrafiltration membranes; chemical treatment such as advanced oxidation methods, electrocoagulation and photocatalytic technologies; biological treatment such as microbial and enzymatic treatment; and hybrid treatment such as microbial-fuel cell (MFC), genetically modified organisms (GMO) and constructed wetland technologies, are promising new methods to improve the quality of PMDE. This review provides insight into current accomplishments evaluates their suitability and discusses future developments in the detoxification of PMDE. The consolidated knowledge will help to develop a better management for the safe disposal and the reuse of PMDE wastewater.

Electroactive nanocarbon materials as signaling tags for electrochemical PCR

Electrochemical polymerase chain reaction (PCR) represents a valid alternative to the optical-based PCR due to reduced costs of signaling labels, use of simpler instrumentation, and possibility of miniaturization and portability of the systems, which can facilitate decentralized detection. The high intrinsic electroactivity and strong linear relationship between the material concentration and its redox signal suggest a possible use of oxidized nanocarbon materials as electroactive tags for PCR. Herein, we compared three different nanographene oxide materials namely nGO-1, nGO-2 and nGO-3 as signaling tags for the detection of genetically modified organisms (GMO) by electrochemical PCR. The three materials differ in size, chemical composition as well as type and amount of oxygen functionalities verified by extensive characterization with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electrochemical methods. A sense primer sequence belonging to the Cauliflower Mosaic Virus 35S promoter (a common genetic marker for GMO screening) was used to conjugate to the nanocarbon materials by carbodiimide chemistry before PCR amplification with a biotinylated antisense strand. Finally, the amplified electroactive PCR product was detected, where the reduction signal derived from the electrochemically reducible oxygenated functionalities on the nanocarbon material surface was directly correlated to the presence of GMO. Overall, we were able to correlate the different material characteristics with their performance as electroactive labels and identify the nanocarbon material that exhibits the highest potential to be used as innovative electroactive label for PCR in the amplification and detection of the selected target sequence.

Evaluation of agronomic and fruit quality traits of miraculin transgenic tomato

Abstract. Carsono N, Desiana N, Nurrizqi FM, Elfakhriano IF, Anas, Sari S, Kusumiyati, Ohsawa R, Shimono A, Ezura H. 2022. Evaluation of agronomic and fruit quality traits of miraculin transgenic tomato. Biodiversitas 23: 2004-2009. Tomato cv. Moneymaker has been inserted with miraculin gene which can modify sour taste becomes sweet in the human tongue and, thus, it has potential as a sweetener. Evaluation of agronomic and fruit quality traits for this special transgenic tomato is a major concern that should be performed as substantial equivalence. The study's objective was to compare agronomic and fruit quality traits of transgenic miraculin tomato with those of its wild-type. The experiment employed a randomized block design, one genotype factor with two levels (transgenic vs. non-transgenic tomato cv. Moneymaker), and each was four replicates. Data were subjected to the Student t-test. The study revealed no significant differences between the transgenic tomato plants cv. Moneymaker and the wild type for important agronomic traits such as plant height, stem diameter, leaf area index, fruit weight, fruit weight per cluster, fruit weight per plant, fruit diameter, number of fruits per cluster, number of fruits per plant, and harvest index of miraculin. Some fruit quality traits such as fruit shelf-life, fruit hardness, total soluble solids, and content of glucose, sucrose, and fructose were equivalent to those of its counterpart, suggesting that miraculin transgene did not affect the expression of the observed traits. The miraculin transgenic tomato traits were more likely identical to those of wild-type except for the existence of the miraculin transgene. This will open the possibility for this special transgenic tomato to undergo further environmental safety assessment in the field test facility as a part of the biosafety assessment of genetically modified organism (GMO).

The new stage of public engagement with science in the digital media environment: citizen science communicators in the discussion of GMOs on Zhihu

In the digital media environment, public engagement with science around controversial scientific topics such as genetically modified organisms (GMOs) has greatly expanded. But the public's role as science communicators in such engagement has been virtually ignored. Through an online ethnography of the discussion of GMOs on Zhihu, the biggest Chinese knowledge-sharing network, this study identifies a new group: citizen science communicators involved in online science communication. The emergence and popularity of this new group brings public engagement with science to a new stage – public engagement with science communication – and changes the role of the public in science communication from audiences to communicators. The development of digital platforms and the revolution of the understanding of science communication all contribute to the emergence and popularity of this group in the Chinese digital environment.

A Label-Free Electrochemical Impedance Genosensor Coupled with Recombinase Polymerase Amplification for Genetically Modified Maize Detection

As the cultivation scale of genetically modified (GM) crops strongly increases, a convenient DNA assay is highly demanded in resource-limited areas. A label-free electrochemical impedance (EI) genosensor using gold carbon dots (GCDs) was developed with easy-to-use portable device. GCDs were used to modify screen-printed carbon electrode and immobilize capture probes by conducting a simple protocol. After the amplification products anchored on the sensor surface via hybridization reactions, the EI signal increased due to the formation of biocomplex hampering the interfacial electron transfer. Under the optimal conditions, the proposed genosensor coupled with recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) could detect maize Ruifeng12-5 in a linear range of 0.10–5.0% with a detection limit of 0.10%. In addition, combined with a one-step extraction and RPA amplification, the proposed sensor device can be applied in resource-limited laboratories without expensive instruments or professionals. Therefore, the developed method provides an easy-to-use and sensitive platform for GM organism detection.

Genetically modified organisms and biosafety as perceived by professionals according to their sociodemographic characteristics

While the cultivation of modern biotechnology products was adopted by producers very fast, the consumer acceptance of these products has not evolved at the same pace. Despite multiple benefits associated with genetically modified organisms (GMO), some potential risks related to the environment, health and economy have increased concerns and affected consumer confidence. This article examines the relationship between knowledge and confidence levels for biosafety and GMOs, and the sociodemographic characteristics of professionals working in the fields of food, agriculture and veterinary medicine, with a view to assess their perception. Questionnaires were applied to 261 individuals, selected by the proportional sampling method among professionals, the numbers of whom were obtained from the relevant unions and chambers. Then frequency, percentage distribution and factor analyses were carried out on data obtained. In conclusion food engineering professionals, men and more knowledgeable participants in biotechnology were found to have a more positive approach towards GMOs and more confidence in the biosafety system. It is indisputable that the scientific knowledge is essential for a reliable biosafety mechanism. Therefore, the inclusion of courses on GMOs and biosafety into curricula and planning in-service trainings may significantly contribute to the development of scientific knowledge thus, improving attitudes towards GMOs.

A Multiplex PCR System for the Screening of Genetically Modified (GM) Maize and the Detection of 29 GM Maize Events Based on Capillary Electrophoresis

The detection of genetically modified (GM) maize events is an inevitable necessity under the strict regulatory systems of many countries. To screen for GM maize events, we developed a multiplex PCR system to specifically detect 29 GM maize events as well as the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter, the Agrobacterium tumefaciens nos terminator, the Streptomyces viridochromogenes pat gene, and the endogenous zSSIIb maize reference gene. These targets were divided into five panels for screening and event-specific detection by multiplex (10-plex, 7-plex, 7-plex, 4-plex, and 5-plex) PCR. All amplification products were separated and visualized by fluorescence capillary electrophoresis (CE). By taking advantage of the high resolution, multiple fluorescence detection, and high sensitivity of CE, our system was able to identify all targets simultaneously with a limit of detection of 0.1%. The accurate identification of specific amplification peaks from different GM maize materials by CE confirmed the specificity of the system. To verify the practical applicability of this system, we analyzed 20 blind samples. We successfully identified five MON810, four TC1507, and three MIR162 samples. The detection of concomitant elements also verified the accuracy of this approach. Our system can, therefore, be used for the screening and detection of GM maize events. The system, which is easy to use, facilitates high-throughput detection with the help of a high-throughput platform and automated identification software. Multiplex PCR coupled with CE is, thus, very suitable for the detection of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) with a large number of detection targets. Additional multiplexed electrophoretic targets can be easily incorporated as well, thereby increasing the usefulness of this system as the number of GMO events continues to increase.

Detection and identification of authorized and unauthorized GMOs using high-throughput sequencing with the support of a sequence-based GMO database

The increasing number and diversity of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) for the food and feed market calls for the development of advanced methods for their detection and identification. This issue can be addressed by next generation sequencing (NGS). However, the efficiency of NGS-based strategies depends on the availability of bioinformatic methods to find sequences of the transgenic insert and junction regions, which is a challenging topic. To facilitate this task, we have developed Nexplorer, a sequence-based database in which annotated sequences of GM events are stored in a structured, searchable and extractable format. As a proof of concept, we have developed a methodology for the analysis of sequencing data of DNA walking libraries of samples containing GMOs using the database. The efficiency of the method has been tested on datasets representing various scenarios that can be encountered in routine GMO analysis. Database-guided analysis allowed obtaining detailed and reliable information with limited hands-on time. As the database allows for efficient analysis of NGS data, it paves the way for the use of NGS sequencing technology to aid routine detection and identification of GMO.

English

The increasing presence of food and feed products derived from genetically modified organisms (GMO) has led to the development of detection methods that distinguish between foods derived from biotechnology and conventional foods. Many countries have implemented the Regulations for GM products labelling, therefore the need of establish reliable and accurate detection methods for GMO in raw materials and food products. The aim of the present study was to screen foods sold in the selected Mozambican markets for the presence of GMOs. Out of 47 samples analysed, 22 (46%) were positive either for 35S promoter or t-NOS terminator. Results of the event-specific analysis indicated the presence of RRS, Mon863 and TC1507 in 8, 6 and 1 sample respectively. None of the positive samples had a GM label. This study demonstrates for the first time, as far as we know, the presence of GM food products circulating in Mozambican markets, therefore strengthening the need for establish of labelling system and quantitative methods in routine analyses, to ensure compliance with existing regulations.   Key words: Genetically modified organisms, roundup ready soybean, P35S, food.

Current Status of Genetically Modified Baculovirus Insecticide for Pest Control

Baculovirus is an insect specific virus which is harmless to human. This feature has made it suitable to be applied as biopesticide. It has been used to control the insect pest particularly in agriculture sector for half a century and several success stories have been shared. Nevertheless, this insecticide still cannot compete with the synthetic pesticides owing to its slow killing speed and deficiency of compatible hosts. Genetically engineered baculovirus has improved pathogenicity against insect by incorporating foreign genes. These foreign genes encode neurotoxin, hormones, enzymes, and antisense DNA. Expression of these genes can enhance the insecticidal activities of the recombinant baculovirus. Nonetheless, the genetically modified baculovirus still has not been commercialised until today. This might be associated with the concern about the release of the genetically modified organism (GMO) into the environment as the environmental impact of the genetically modified virus is not well understood. Furthermore, it has been found to have effect on certain parasitoid. In conclusion, genetic modifications of the baculovirus have successfully improved its insecticidal activities but insufficient knowledge about its safety has limited its use in the field.

GMO Labeling Policy and Consumer Choice

Most scientists claim that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in foods are safe for human consumption and offer societal benefits such as better nutritional content. However, many consumers remain skeptical about their safety. Against this backdrop of diverging views, the authors investigate the impact of different GMO labeling policy regimes on the products consumers choose. Guided by the literature on negativity bias, structural alignment theory, and message presentation, and based on findings from four experiments, the authors show that consumer demand for GM foods depends on the labeling regime policy makers adopt. Both absence-focused (“non-GMO”) and presence-focused (“contains GMO”) labeling regimes reduce the market share of GM foods, with the reduction being greater in the latter case. GMO labels reduce the importance consumers place on price and enhance their willingness to pay for non-GM products. Results indicate that specific label design choices policy makers implement (in the form of color and style) also affect consumer responses to GM labeling. Consumer attitudes toward GMOs moderate this effect—consumers with neutral attitudes toward GMOs are influenced most significantly by the label design.

Art’s Work in the Age of Biotechnology: Shaping Our Genetic Futures

Art’s Work in the Age of Biotechnology: Shaping Our Genetic Futures

Genomic Editing: The Evolution in Regulatory Management Accompanying Scientific Progress

Argentina currently has a regulation for genome-editing products whose criteria were updated as consultations were received to determine the regulatory status of these products. The aim of this regulation is to consider all organisms (animals, micro-organisms and plants) under the same NBT resolution independently and without being linked to commercial Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) regulations. This gives certainty to local researchers and developers (teams of local developers and researchers), which can be seen in the number of developments and consultations carried out. It should be noted that early results showed that the speed of innovation of these technologies was increasing in a short time, giving more opportunity to local developers who showed interest in generating products in different species, crops and phenotypes.

Attitudes of the Ecuadorian University Community Toward Genetically Modified Organisms.

Introduction: The acceptance of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) by the civilian population in Ecuador is a controversial issue, where beliefs and practices are determinant. In Ecuador, the use of GMOs for research or productive purposes has been banned since 2008; however, the current position of the population toward this technology is unknown. Objective: The aim of the study was to explain the attitude toward GMOs in the Ecuadorian university population based on sociodemographic variables, knowledge, beliefs, practices, and bioethical approach. Methods: A validated survey was applied to 719 students and teachers of the Catholic University of Cuenca through Google Forms. The collected data were processed using SPSS 23.0 software. Multivariate and linear regression analyses were used to explain the attitude toward GMOs based on the variables studied. Results: Partial approval of GMO use is research-oriented, with a rejection toward food. The linear regression model explained 65% of the variance of attitude toward GMOs from the beliefs, practices, knowledge, and bioethical approach variables. The sociodemographic variables were completely excluded from the model due to the absence of statistical significance. Conclusions: The incipient acceptance of GMOs in the academic sector corroborates a transformation in the thinking of Ecuadorian civil society. Considerations on the use of GMOs are supported by a bioethical approach that leans toward a pragmatic utilitarianism based on the immediate or mediate benefits of the technology.

Genome editing with removable TALEN vectors harboring a yeast centromere and\xa0autonomous replication sequence in\xa0oleaginous microalga

Algal lipids are expected to become a basis for sustainable fuels because of the highly efficient lipid production by photosynthesis accompanied by carbon dioxide assimilation. Molecular breeding of microalgae has been studied to improve algal lipid production, but the resultant gene-modified algae containing transgenes are rarely used for outdoor culture because the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is strictly restricted under biocontainment regulations. Recently, it was reported that plasmids containing yeast centromere and autonomous replication sequence (CEN/ARS) behaved as episomes in Nannochloropsis species. We previously reported that the Platinum TALEN (PtTALEN) system exhibited high activity in Nannochloropsis oceanica. Therefore, we attempted to develop a genome editing system in which the expression vectors for PtTALEN can be removed from host cells after introduction of mutations. Using all-in-one PtTALEN plasmids containing CEN/ARS, targeted mutations and removal of all-in-one vectors were observed in N. oceanica, suggesting that our all-in-one PtTALEN vectors enable the construction of mutated N. oceanica without any transgenes. This system will be a feasible method for constructing non-GMO high-performance algae.

Scaling up interactive argumentation by providing counterarguments with a chatbot.

Discussion is more convincing than standard, unidirectional messaging, but its interactive nature makes it difficult to scale up. We created a chatbot to emulate the most important traits of discussion. A simple argument pointing out the existence of a scientific consensus on the safety of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) already led to more positive attitudes towards GMOs, compared with a control message. Providing participants with good arguments rebutting the most common counterarguments against GMOs led to much more positive attitudes towards GMOs, whether the participants could immediately see all the arguments or could select the most relevant arguments in a chatbot. Participants holding the most negative attitudes displayed more attitude change in favour of GMOs. Participants updated their beliefs when presented with good arguments, but we found no evidence that an interactive chatbot proves more persuasive than a list of arguments and counterarguments.

LIFE-Seq: a universal Large Integrated DNA Fragment Enrichment Sequencing strategy for deciphering the transgene integration of genetically modified organisms.

SummaryMolecular characterization of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) yields basic information on exogenous DNA integration, including integration sites, entire inserted sequences and structures, flanking sequences and copy number, providing key data for biosafety assessment. However, there are few effective methods for deciphering transgene integration, especially for large DNA fragment integration with complex rearrangement, inversion and tandem repeats. Herein, we developed a universal Large Integrated DNA Fragments Enrichment strategy combined with PacBio Sequencing (LIFE‐Seq) for deciphering transgene integration in GMOs. Universal tilling DNA probes targeting transgenic elements and exogenous genes facilitate specific enrichment of large inserted DNA fragments associated with transgenes from plant genomes, followed by PacBio sequencing. LIFE‐Seq were evaluated using six GM events and four crop species. Target DNA fragments averaging ~6275 bp were enriched and sequenced, generating ~26 352 high fidelity reads for each sample. Transgene integration structures were determined with high repeatability and sensitivity. Compared with next‐generation whole‐genome sequencing, LIFE‐Seq achieved better data integrity and accuracy, greater universality and lower cost, especially for transgenic crops with complex inserted DNA structures. LIFE‐Seq could be applied in molecular characterization of transgenic crops and animals, and complex DNA structure analysis in genetics research.

Corporate Social Responsibility in Biotechnology Companies: Ethical, Environmental and Physical Implications

The biotechnology sector, renowned for its groundbreaking advancements, is increasingly subject to examination regarding its ethical and environmental obligations. The present study examines the ethical and environmental aspects of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the context of biotechnology companies. The objective is to gain a deeper understanding of how these firms can effectively integrate scientific advancements to promote societal and ecological welfare. Our comprehensive study encompasses various aspects, such as corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, ethical dilemmas, environmental impacts, stakeholder perspectives, and best practices. The study's results emphasize the importance of ethical clinical trial practices and community engagement, the frequency of ethical dilemmas associated with gene-editing technologies, and the significance of energy consumption and the ecological consequences of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Furthermore, various stakeholders, including employees and the community, perceive corporate social responsibility (CSR) as productive. This study enhances our comprehensive comprehension of the transformative capacity of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) within the biotechnology sector. It guides conducting responsible scientific research and deploying technology to advance societal and environmental well-being.

Gene engineering: its positive and negative effects

Genetic engineering methods significantly expand the possibilities of controlling plant heredity and variability. However, they will always remain only an additional, but not a substitute factor in the arsenal of the adaptive plant breeding system. The most important task is to prevent the spread of genetically modified forms of living organisms used in biotechnology into open agrosystems and natural ecosystems. The problems of the wide distribution of genetically modified organisms require theoretical understanding, the development of appropriate methods and criteria, integration with other areas of knowledge and, finally, the selection of the optimal possibilities for the distribution of the final product. New improved methods for creating GMOs can significantly reduce the possible risk associated with the arbitrary nature of the introduction of transgenes into the genome, which occurs when using the current approaches. The main theoretical and methodological provisions of transgenic selection should be considered: a) obtaining a large number of GM organisms as a starting material for selection; b) a thorough genomic, anatomical-morphological, biochemical and medico-biological analysis of GM elements from the point of view of their influence on ecology, human health and evolutionary processes; c) strict selection of individuals according to traits and properties useful to humans, with the exception of their linkage with negative - harmful and lethal determinants; d) creation of molecular regulators (gene switches) that can activate useful and inactivate built-in genes that determine the manifestation of undesirable traits. One of the main reasons constraining the intensity and effectiveness of transgenesis work is the extremely weak development of research on the identification of effective genes, the creation of gene banks, and a limited scientific base of genetic engineering, which is associated with insufficient funding, as well as the lack of strict legislation in the field of this problem.