Does the Inclusion of Second Generation Genetically Modified Plants in Feeds have any effect on Animal Performance?

The need for studies on the nutritional value of plants depends on their composition. The first generation genetically modified Plants (GMPs) have the same composition as their near-isogenic lines. Therefore, they have the same nutritional value, and most of the animal feeding studies have found no significant differences in the production and health parameters of animals that consumed first-generation GMPs in comparison to non-GMPs. Due to the recent production of transgenic plants with specific nutritional properties (second generation GMPs), their use as feed for animals is viewed with skepticism in very many countries. In this critical review, it is concluded that most of these nutritionally improved plants have not shown adverse effects on the performance of various animals compared to their near-isogenic lines and can therefore be considered in the animal feed industry. However, most of the experiments were conducted on laboratory animals. There is a need to conduct them with animals that are mainly consumed by humans, such as ruminants. There is also a need to feed the whole plant to these animals and not just certain parts of the plant to get a clear picture of its overall safety. In addition, there is a need to determine a suitable long-term nutritional and toxicological approach assessment.

Detection of genetically modified plants using LAMP (loop-mediated amplification) technologies

Purpose. Analysis of the current state and experience on the loop-mediated amplification (LAMP) use to detect genetically modified plants. Methods. Literature search and analysis. Results. General information on the current state and use of the genetically modified plants is provided. Despite the wide distribution of genetically modified plants, the attitude towards them in society continues to remain somewhat wary. About 50 countries have introduced mandatory labeling of GM feed and products, provided that their content exceeds a certain threshold. In order to meet labeling requirements, effective and sensitive methods for detecting known genetic modifications in a variety of plant materials, food products and animal feed must be developed and standardized. The most common approaches to the detection of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are the determination of specific proteins synthesized in transgenic plants and the detection of new introduced genes. Methods for the determination of GMOs based on the analysis of nucleic acids are more common, since such methods have greater sensitivity and specificity than the analysis of protein composition. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method is the main method of nucleic acid analysis, which is now wide used for the detection of GMOs. Loop-mediated amplification (LAMP), which can occur at a constant temperature and therefore does not require the use of expensive equipment may be an alternative to the PCR. Scientific articles about the use of the loop-mediated amplification (LAMP) for the detection of genetically modified plants were analyzed. Advantages and disadvantages of the polymerase chain reaction and loop-mediated amplification are compared. Conclusions. The main criteria for applying a method of GMO detection analysis are as follow: its sensitivity, time of reaction, availability and ease to use, cost of reagents and equipment, and the possibility for simultaneous detection of many samples.

Rapid and Detailed Characterization of Transgene Insertion Sites in Genetically Modified Plants via Nanopore Sequencing

Molecular characterization of genetically modified plants can provide crucial information for the development of detection and identification methods, to comply with traceability, and labeling requirements prior to commercialization. Detailed description of the genetic modification was previously a challenging step in the safety assessment, since it required the use of laborious and time-consuming techniques. In this study an accurate, simple, and fast method was developed for molecular characterization of genetically modified (GM) plants, following a user-friendly workflow for researchers with limited bioinformatic capabilities. Three GM events from a diverse array of crop species—perennial ryegrass, white clover, and canola—were used to test the approach that exploits long-read sequencing by the MinION device, from Oxford Nanopore Technologies. The method delivered a higher degree of resolution of the transgenic events within the host genome than has previously been possible with the standard Illumina short-range sequencing strategies. The flanking sequences, copy number, and presence of backbone sequences, and overall transgene insertion structure were determined for each of the plant genomes, with the additional identification of moderate-sized secondary insertions that would have previously been missed. The proposed workflow takes only about 1 week from DNA extraction to analyzed result, and the method will complement the existing approaches for molecular characterization of GM plants, since it makes the process faster, simpler, and more cost-effective.