What is

What is a GMO? Bill Schapaugh,

Professor and

Soybean Breeder

Dept. of Agronomy

Kansas State University

Manhattan, KS

[email protected]

• Define GMO

• Traditional Breeding

• Describe GMO Development

• GMO Oversight/Assessment

• Discuss GMO Products

• Questions/Comments

Today’s Plan

What is a GMO?

• A GMO is a living plant, animal, or microbe that incorporates laboratory-made recombinant DNA.

• Same as “transgenic”.

Genetically

Modified

Organism

What is DNA?

•http://maswheat.ucdavis.edu/

• shorthand for deoxyribonucleic acid

• chemical substance of genes

• genes contain the genetic code

• assembly instructions for proteins

• the instruction code is universal !!!!

Recombinant DNA

+ =

Cut and pasted artificially in the lab by molecular scissors

Organism 1 DNA

Organism 2 DNA

Combined DNA

Soybean Variety Development

• Most cultivars developed through hybridization – Cross two parents (A X B) – Grow F1 generation and allow to self pollinate – Continue selfing in following generations to produce

genetically stable lines (homozygous, pure lines) – Extensively test lines for yield, maturity, lodging, disease

and insect resistance, etc. over several years and many environments

• Final product: Homozygous – ie. AABBccDDeeFFggHHIIJJkkllMM, etc. – This is why seed can be saved from one generation to

another to maintain the variety • Complete process from hybridization to release requires 5 to

8 years • Process would be similar in wheat

RRqq Parents rrQQ

Rq rQ

Possible Gametes

RrQq (F1 Hybrid - all resistant, high quality)

R = disease resistance Q = high quality

RrQq X RrQq

RQ Rq rQ rq RQ

Rq

rQ

rq

RRQQ RRQq RrQQ RrQq

RRQq RRqq RrQq Rrqq

RrQQ RrQq rrQQ rrQq

RrQq Rrqq rrQq rrqq

Corn Hybrid Development

• Female Development

– Cross two parents (A X B)

– Grow F1 generation and self pollinate

– Continue selfing and evaluation in following generations to produce genetically stable, desirable lines (homozygous, pure lines)

– Product: new female parents

Part 1: Line (Parent) Development

Part 2: Hybrid Evaluation

• Cross Female Parent X Male Parent

Extensively test F1 HYBRIDS for yield, maturity, lodging, disease and insect resistance, etc. over several years and many environments

To create a commercial hybrid, may have to have male sterility system (female - male sterile, male – male fertile with genes that will restore fertility in hybrid). Complete process requires 6 to 10 years.

Final product: Heterozygous – ie. AaBbCcDdFfGg, etc.

Process would be similar in sorghum.

• Male Development

– Cross two parents (C X D)

– Grow F1 generation and self pollinate

– Continue selfing and evaluation in following generations to produce genetically stable, desirable lines (homozygous, pure lines)

– Product: new male parents

From Genotype (DNA) to Phenotype (Traits)

Phenotype (Trait)

Agrobacterium Particle gun

Plant

Transformation

Crown Gall Disease

caused by

Agrobacterium

tumefacians

Bacterial

Plant

Left border Right border

Particle Bombardment

Nucleus

Target Cell

Metal particle

DNA

http://www.moyoway.com/images/gmo-food-corn1.jpg

Induction

Proliferation Development Germination

Plant Recovery

Starting Material

Maize

Cloning

Biotech Regulatory Oversight

Is it safe to grow? Is the GMO plant any different than a conventional plant except for the expected trait inserted?

Safe for the environment?

Safe for consumption by humans and livestock?

IBC or “Institutional Biosafety

Committee”

Is the research being conducted safely?

Biotech Regulatory Oversight In US

-coordinated approach several agencies share responsibilities -each product is regulated on a case-by-case basis -government exercises oversight through a consultative process

USDA-APHIS • Environmental EPA • Plant Pesticides FDA • Food •Livestock feed

USDA-APHIS-Regulation of confined Trials

NIH and Institutional Biosafety Guidelines

Research & Development

Confined field trials

Food, Feed, & Safety Assessment

7-10 yrs Commercialized

IBC or “Institutional Biosafety Committee”

• Every university, government facility, and private biotech company is required to have a committee as mandated by federal laws and regulations

• Committee is typically composed of representatives from research, administration and the public

• The committee is responsible for oversight of all activities involving research with microbiological agents, toxins of biological origin, or recombinant DNA

http://osp.od.nih.gov/office-biotechnology-activities/oba/rac/guidelines_02/NIH_Guidelines_Apr_02.htm

Field testing of transgenic crops

USDA-APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) is the Federal agency that regulates field testing

- Approval is on a case-by-case basis - Field trials are granted by permit or notification - Researchers must submit a “standard of performance” (biological confinement ) - Trials are subject to inspection by both state and federal officials - APHIS oversees transport of seed to and from trial site - For pesticidal plants > than 10 acres, EPA registration required http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wps/portal/aphis/home

Food and Feed Safety Assessment Before a GMO crop can be grown on a wide scale or sold commercially, its developers need to petition APHIS for “determination of non-regulated status”

1. Purpose of intended modification 2. Complete a molecular characterization of GMO plant 3. Information on expressed proteins 4. Information on known or suspected allergenicity and toxicity 5. Information on compositional and nutritional characteristics 6. For foods known to be allergenic, any change in endogenous

allergens 7. Comparisons of feeding studies comparing GMO and non-GMO

Solicitation of public comments in the Federal Register

Environmental Risk Assessment Before a GMO crop can be grown on a wide scale or sold commercially, its developers need to petition APHIS for “determination of non-regulated status”

1. Description of biology of non-modified plant 2. Complete a molecular characterization of GMO plant 3. Relevant data and references 4. Detailed differences in genotypes between GMO and Non-GMO 5. Detailed differences in phenotypes between GMO and Non-GMO 6. Agricultural practices 7. Effects on non-target organisms 8. Indirect plant pest effects 9. Gene transfer potential between species which cannot interbreed

Solicitation of public comments in the Federal Register

http://www.isaaa.org/default.asp

https://isaaa.org/gmapprovaldatabase/cropslist/default.asp

GMO Web Sites

Acknowledgement: Thanks to Dr. Harold Trick, Kansas State University, for providing many of the slides used in this presentation.

http://factsaboutgmos.org/ http://www.nongmoproject.org/ http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/harvest/ http://academicsreview.org/reviewed-content/genetic-roulette/ http://intelligencesquaredus.org/debates/past-debates/item/1161-genetically-modify-food