| Issue |
Agron. Sustain. Dev.
Volume 29, Number 4, October-December 2009
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Page(s) | 497 - 501 | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/agro/2009020 | |
| Published online | 09 July 2009 | |
DOI: 10.1051/agro/2009020
Detection of transgenic cp4 epsps genes in the soil food web
Miranda M. Hart1, Jeff R. Powell1, Robert H. Gulden2, David J. Levy-Booth3, Kari E. Dunfield4, K. Peter Pauls2, Clarence J. Swanton2, John N. Klironomos1 and Jack T. Trevors31 Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
2 Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
3 Department of Environmental Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
4 Department of Land Resource Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
Accepted 12 May 2009; published online 9 July 2009
Abstract - The persistence and movement of transgenic DNA in agricultural and natural
systems is largely unknown. This movement poses a threat of horizontal gene
transfer and possible proliferation of genetically modified DNA into the
general environment. To assess the persistence of transgenic DNA in a field
of Roundup Ready
corn, we quantified the presence of the
transgene for glyphosate tolerance within a soil food web. Using
quantitative real-time PCR, we identified the cp4 epsps transgene in bulk soil
microarthropods, nematodes, macroarthropods and earthworms sampled within
the corn cropping system. We found evidence of the transgene at all dates
and in all animal groups. Transgenic DNA concentration in animal was
significantly higher than that of background soil, suggesting the animals
were feeding directly on transgenic plant material. It remains to be tested
whether this DNA was still within the plant residues, present as free,
extracellular DNA or had already undergone genetic transformation into
competent bacterial cells. These results are the first to demonstrate the
persistence of transgenic crop DNA residues within a food web.
Key words: agriculture / DNA / environment / corn / foodweb / glyphosate / soil / transgenic
Corresponding author: mhart@uoguelph.ca
© INRA, EDP Sciences 2009