Date of publication: February 14,
2006
Source:
http://gmoinfo.jrc.it/gmp_browse_geninf.asp
Notification number: B/DE/05/175
Member State:Germany
Date of Acknowledgement:23/11/2005
Title of the Project:
Evaluation of potato plants with increased tuber yield and
starch content under field conditions
Proposed period of release From:04/04/2006
To:10/10/2007
Name of the Institute(s) or Company(ies): University
of Cologne;
3. Is the same GMPt release planned elsewhere in the
Community?
No
4 - Has the same GMPt been notified elsewhere by the same
notifier?
No
Genetically
modified plant
1. Complete name of the
recipient or parental plant(s)
|
Common Name
|
Family Name
|
Genus |
Species
|
Subspecies
|
Cultivar/breeding line
|
| potato
|
solanaceae |
solanum |
solanum tuberosum |
tuberosum |
Désirée |
2. Description of the traits and characteristics which have
been introduced or modified, including marker genes and previous
modifications:
Modified potato plants appear normal in growth but have
higher tuber yield and higher tuber starch content when grown
under greenhouse conditions. This has been achieved by the
introduction of two genes into the plant which code for
metabolite translocators. The gpt (glucose-6-phosphate/phosphate
translocator) gene of pea and the ntt1 (adenylate translocator
1) gene of Arabidopsis have been introduced and were controlled
by the B33 patatin promoter which drives expression of genes
mainly in potato tubers. The gpt gene has been introduced with
the plasmid pBinB33(Hyg)::GPT. The selection marker here was the
hpt gene from Streptomyces hygroscopicus conferring hygromycin
resistance to transformed cells. The ntt1 gene has been
introduced with the plasmid pBinB33(Kan)::NTT. The selection
marker here was the nptII gene of Escherichia coli that confers
kanamycin resistance to transformed cells. For 2 of 3
transformed plant lines evidence has been proven (using PCR
technology) that the plants contain the nptIII gene, too. This
gene is located outside the T-DNA of the plasmids and is driven
by a bacterial promoter, i.e. although being present it is not
expressed within the plants. The other above mentioned genes
have been proven to be expressed by the existence of the
activity of the respective gene products.
Genetic
modification
3. Type of genetic
modification:
Insertion;
4. In case of insertion of genetic material, give the source
and intended function of each constituent fragment of the region
to be inserted:
T-DNA of pBinB33(Hyg)::GPT: patatin class I gene of potato
(source) – promoter to drive expression of pea gpt gene
(function); gpt gene of pea (source) – codes for a
glucose-6-phosphate/phosphate translocator which transports
glucose-6-phosphate in counter exchange with phosphate or triose
phosphate across the inner envelope membrane of plastids
(function); ocs gene of Agrobacterium tumefaciens (source) –
transcription terminator for the gpt gene (function); nopalin
synthase gene of Agrobacterium tumefaciens (source) – promoter
to drive expression of hpt gene (function); hpt gene of
Streptomyces hygroscopicus (source) – confers hygromycin
resistance to transformed cells (function); gene 7 of
Agrobacterium tumefaciens (source) – transcription terminator of
the hpt gene (function).
T-DNA of pBinB33(Kan)::NTT: patatin class I gene of potato
(source) – promoter to drive expression of Arabidopsis thaliana
ntt1 gene (function); ntt1 gene of Arabidopsis thaliana (source)
– codes for an adenylate translocator which transports ATP in
counter exchange with ADP across the inner plastid envelope
membrane (function); ocs gene of Agrobacterium tumefaciens
(source) – transcription terminator for the ntt1 gene
(function); nopalin synthase gene of Agrobacterium tumefaciens
(source) – promoter to drive expression of nptII gene
(function); nptII gene of Escherichia coli (source) – confers
kanamycin resistance to transformed cells (function); nopalin
synthase gene of Agrobacterium tumefaciens (source) –
transcription terminator for the nptII gene (function).
Regions outside the T-DNA of pBin19-derived plasmids
(pBinB33(Hyg)::GPT and pBinB33(Kan)::NTT are pBin19-derived
plasmids): Since we proved evidence that an nptIII gene can be
detected in 2 of 3 transformed lines, regions outside the T-DNA
of both plasmids might be considered to be present in the
plants. All the below mentioned genes or parts of genes should
not be functional in plants: oriV of broad host range plasmid
RK2 from Escherichia coli; part of the klaC gene of Klebsiella
aerogenes; nptIII gene of Streptococcus faecalis; transposable
element IS1 from Escherichia coli; trfA gene of broad host range
plasmid RK2 from Escherichia coli; tetA gene (interrupted by the
T-DNA) of broad host range plasmid RK2 from Escherichia coli;
ColE1 ori of Escherichia coli; traF gene of broad host range
plasmid RP4 from Escherichia coli; oriT of broad host range
plasmid RP4 from Escherichia coli.
6. Brief description of the method used for the genetic
modification:
Plants were transformed using Agrobacterium-mediated gene
transfer: Leaves of sterile potato plants were cut and put into
25ml MS medium with 3.9% sucrose that contains a reduced 50ml
over night culture of Agrobacterium tumefaciens GV2260
harbouring the plasmid pBinB33(Hyg)::GPT. Leaves were incubated
for 48h in the dark. To induce calli, leaves were placed on MS
medium containing 1.6% glucose, 0.5% naphtyl acetic acid, 0.01%
benzamino purine, 0.05% cefotaxim and 0.3% gelrite in a plant
incubator. After that leaves were transferred to MS medium
containing 1.6% glucose, 2mg/l zeatin, 0.02% naphtyl acetic
acid, 0.02 mg/l giberellic acid, 500mg/l cefotaxim, 3g/l gelrite
and 100mg/l hygromycin. Incubation until shoots emerge, that can
be cut and further cultivated to give a complete plant of which
leaves can be taken to do a second round of transformation. This
time agrobacteria contain the plasmid pBinB33(Kan)::NTT, and the
antibiotic used for selection was kanamycin (50mg/l) instead of
hygromycin. Lines used for further analyses did not display any
growth of agrobacteria after several rounds of cutting and
growing in tissue culture.
7. If the recipient or parental plant is a forest tree
species, describe ways and extent of dissemination and specific
factors affecting dissemination:
not applicable
Experimental
Release
1. Purpose of the release:
The purpose of the deliberate release of the transgenic
potato plants into the environment in field trials solely is to
verify the effects found in greenhouse experiments, i.e.
increased tuber yield and starch content.
2. Geographical location of the site:
The release site is on the compound of the
Max-Planck-Institute (MPIZ) in 50829 Cologne, district Cologne,
federal state NRW, Germany. The site is not located in a flooded
area, and is located in the local subdistrict Lövenich, field
54, cadastral parcel 00102.
3. Size of the site (m2):
1200 m2 (600 m2 per annum)
4. Relevant data regarding previous releases carried out with
the same GM-plant, if any, specifically related to the potential
environmental and human health impacts from the release:
not applicable
Environmental
Impact and Risk Management
Summary of the potential
environmental impact from the release of the GMPts:
The genetically modified plants should not become more
persistent in the agricultural habitat than the recipient
plants, nor should they be more invasive in natural habitats.
Transgenic potatoes differ from untransformed control plants
only in tuber yield and starch content. Since there are potato
cultivars that have a higher tuber starch content, and
furthermore - dependent on the environmental conditions – tuber
yield can differ strongly, there is no indication that these
parameters determine persistence or invasiveness. In contrast,
it has never been reported that potato plants can survive out of
agricultural habitats in Europe. If transgenic plants are more
persistent, we will be able to recognize this by monitoring the
release site in the years after the release (see below). Under
normal agricultural growth conditions, transgenic plants have no
selective advantage or disadvantage compared to control plants,
since they are not exposed to antibiotics. If a gene transfer to
the same plant species occurs, this can only happen to the
control plants on the release site, because other members of the
species do not grow in the vicinity of the release site. These
plants will be harvested and inactivated completely, and
re-growth in the following years will be monitored and recorded.
Sexually compatible plant species do not grow in Europe. The
only Solanum species growing in Europe are Solanum dulcamara and
Solanum nigrum, both can not be crossed with Solanum tuberosum
or do not lead to viable hybrids. Effects on non-target
organisms like pathogens can not be excluded. However, there`s
no data available that tuber starch content influences plant
pathogen interactions, and since starch content is not
extraordinary high in the transgenic tubers, i.e. there are
“naturally” existing cultivars with higher tuber starch content,
there`s no reason to believe in a dramatic change in this kind
of interaction. Gene transfer to fungi or bacteria may occur but
is extremely unlikely. Micro-organisms must take up DNA / genes,
and the uptake and incorporation into pre-existing plasmids or
the genome is linked to a selective advantage for the organism.
A theoretical advantage could be the uptake of an antibiotic
resistance gene. An advantage can only occur if the gene taken
up is expressed, and if there is selection pressure on the
organism. Furthermore – a lot of micro-organisms already carry
resistence genes, and it is much more likely that gene transfer
from micro-organism to micro-organism occurs. A significant
transgenic plant-born rise of resistent soil micro-organisms can
be excluded.
Brief description of any measures taken for the management of
risks:
The release site will be surrounded by a fence in order to
keep small animals like rabbits and squirrels away from the
transgenic plants. Bigger animals do not live on the compound of
the MPIZ since this is surrounded by another high fence. A
diversion of plant material can be avoided by this. Potato has a
very low dispersal capacity and does not hybridise with any
species growing wild in Europe. Thus, an outcrossing of the GM
potato can be avoided by keeping a minimum distance of 20 m
between the GM potato and any potato cultivation potentially
growing on the agricultural area nearby. Monitoring by visual
inspection during the plants are growing is warranted almost
every day since workings to ensure good plant growth, e.g.
chemical treatment against Phytophthora infestans or chemical
and mechanical removal of weeds will be done. Unplanned
incidents, e.g. death of plants will be recorded, the reason for
such an incident will be discovered, if possible. Monitoring by
visual inspection after growth of the plants will be done for at
least two further years, so that potato plants emerging in these
years can be recorded and killed. This is possible because
during this time no potato plants will be grown at the site of
release. All plants will be killed prior to harvest, and tubers
will be digged out. Tubers will be either stored in appropriate
facilities for the next year, will be used for analyses in
appropriate laboratories or autoclaved to inactivate them.
Summary of foreseen field trial studies focused to gain new
data on environmental and human health impact from the release:
not applicable
Final report
-
European
Commission administrative information
Consent given by the Competent
Authority: Not Known |
