• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.231-239
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• 2013

BACKGROUND: The disease resistant (OsCK1) rice was generated by inserting choline kinase (CK1) and phosphinothricin acetyltransferase (PAT) genes isolated from Oriza sativa and Streptomyces hygroscopicus into the genome of rice (Nakdongbyeo). With the potential problems of safety, the non-target organism evaluation is required as an essential element for the environmental risk assessment of genetically modified (GM) crops. In present study, we studied the effects on survival of Misgurnus anguillicaudatus and Cyprinus carpio, commonly used as a model organism in ecotoxicological studies. METHODS AND RESULTS: The M. anguillicaudatus and C. carpio were fed on disease resistant (OsCK1) rice and non-genetically modified (non-GM) rice (Nakdongbyeo) to 0, 10, 100, 1,000 and 5,000 mg/L, as treatment concentration respectively. The OsCK1 rice used for the test was confirmed to have the OsCK1/PAT gene expression by the PCR and ELISA analysis. Feeding test showed that no significant differences in cumulative immobility and abnormal response of M. anguillicaudatus and C. carpio fed on between OsCK1 rice and non-GM rice. The 96hr-$LC_{50}$ values showed no difference between OsCK1 rice (>5,000 mg/L) and non-GM rice (>5,000 mg/L). CONCLUSION(S): The results of this study suggested that there was no significant difference in toxicity for M. anguillicaudatus and C. carpio between OsCK1 rice and non-GM counterparts.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.677-682
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• 2004

Debates on safety of genetically modified (GM) crops have led to mandatory-labeling legislation of GM foods in many countries including Korea. Effects of heat, pressure, and acid treatments on degradation of DNAs or proteins in GM soybean at levels below detection limits of qualitative PCR and lateral flow strip test (LFST) methods were examined. Results showed that genomic DNAs and proteins were degraded into fragment sizes no longer possible for detection of inserted gene depending on thermal, or thermal and pressure treatment period. Detectaability of LFST for toasted meal increased in weakly treated soybean. DNA and protein detection methods were barely effective for detection of GM ingredient after $121^{\circ}C$ and 1.5 atmospheric treatment for 20 min. These results will be useful in determining GM labeling requirements of processed foods.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.347-354
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• 2007

Commercialization of genetically modified (GM) plants will be required the assessment of risks associated with the release of GM plants that should include a detailed risk assessment of their impacts in human health and the environment. Prior to GM plant release, applicants should provide the information on GM crops for approval. We carried out this study to provide the molecular data for risk assessment of the GM Chinese cabbage plants with insect-resistance gene, modified CryIAc, which we obtained by Agrobacterium-transformation. From the molecular analysis with GM Chinese cabbage, we confirmed the transgene copy number and stability, the expression of the transgene, and integration region sequences between the transgene and the Chinese cabbage genome. Based on the unique integration DNA sequences, we designed specific primer set to detect GM Chinese cabbage and set up the GM cabbage detection method by qualitative PCR analysis. Qualitative analysis with GM Chinese cabbage progenies analysis was revealed the same as the result of herbicide treatment. Our results provided the molecular data for risk assessment analysis of GM Chinese cabbage and demonstrated that the primer set proposed could be useful to detect GM Chinese cabbage.

• Korean Journal of Breeding Science
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.56-60
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• 2010

This study was carried out to develop of macro-protocol and the biosafety guide Golden Rice, modified vitamin A at large scale GMO field. Commercialization of genetically modified (GM) plants will be required the assessment of risks associated with the release of GM plants that should include a detailed risk assessment of their impacts in the environment and human health. Prior to GM plant release, applicants should provide the information on GM crops for approval. A total of $4,700m^2$ GM field, each of Golden Rice and 'Nakdong' were used for further analysis on agronomic traits and pathogenesis. Generally plant growth and panicle number in the transgenic lines were lower than in the wild type under field condition. The major agronomic traits such as plant growth, grain quality in Golden Rice were similar than in 'Nakdong'. The yield difference was due to reduced ripened rate and the 1,000 grain weight. The grain shape was similar donor plant, however, color of brown rice was different from segregation. Also the difference of pathogenesis reaction was not significant in the leaf blast and sheath blight between Golden Rice and 'Nakdong'. These results provided the agronomic data and pathogenesis for risk assessment analysis of Golden Rice and suggested that the macro-protocol could be useful to detect GM plants.

• Food Science and Industry
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.130-139
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• 2019

Safety of genetically modified foods (GM foods) in Korea is evaluated according to "Food Sanitation Act" and "Regulation on safety evaluation for GM foods" based on the concept of substantial equivalence. In which cases a person who imports, develops or manufactures GM foods for the purpose of eating imports GM foods for the first time, he/she shall undergo a safety evaluation of the relevant foods, etc. by Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS). And in which cases ten years have elapsed since GM foods underwent safety evaluation, they shall be re-evaluated for their safety. As of April 2019, a total of 199 events have been approved by MFDS and they are 169 events of GM crops including soybean (29), maize (87), cotton (29), canola (14), sugar beet (1), potato (4), alfalfa (5), 6 events of GM microorganisms (GMM) and 24 events of GM food additives originated from GMM.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.139-157
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• 2006

Biotechnology has reached the level of giving birth to new forms of life and with this is a growing controversy in the conflict between science and ethics. Especially, GMOs are closely linked to the food products we consume and thus, the majority of the public shows a very sensitive reaction to the safety of GMO food products. Many perspectives arose surrounding the issues of safety on the human body and the ecology. This outlines diverse structural mechanisms to be set up to ensure safety such as risk assessment, risk management etc. Despite the precautionary principle guaranteed in many ways, the problem arises whether and how this principle can be taken in the safety assessment. GMOs due to its uniqueness do not end with just the possession of the technology involved but must also be considered with the prerequisite that they could be cultured again. Therefore the reinforcement of safety assessment system is necessary. That is, the reinforcement of risk assessment including field tests, the consideration of socio-economic effects, the coordinated system of relevant authorities, the development of technology for safety assessment.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.681-684
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• 2007

An immunoassay method was developed to quantitatively detect phosphinothricin-N-acetyltransferase (PAT) encoded by the Bialaphos resistance (bar) gene in genetically modified (GM) pepper. The histidine-tagged PAT was overexpressed in Escherichia coli M15 (pQE3l-bar) and efficiently purified by $Ni^{2+}$ affinity chromatography. A developed sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (S-ELISA) method (detection limit: $0.01{\mu}g/ml$) was 100-fold more sensitive than a competitive indirect ELISA (CI-ELISA) method or Western blot analysis in detecting the recombinant PAT. In real sample tests, PAT in genetically modified herbicide-tolerant (GMHT) peppers was successfully quantified [$4.9{\pm}0.4{\mu}g/g$ of sample (n=6)] by the S-ELISA method. The S-ELISA method developed here could be applied to other GMHT crops and vegetables producing PAT.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.13-21
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• 2008

Final regulatory steps for commercialization of transgenic crops are risk assessment and variety registration. The risk assessment of transgenic crops requires broad network of scientists, high cost and long term. Developers of transgenic crops, therefore, face to additional challenges to consider theoretical and strategic aspects on risk assessment. The general concept for risk assessment of genetically modified organisms was derived from chemical risk assessment. Due to the complexity of organisms, however, comparative approaches that are substantial equivalence and familarity have been developed. In practical view, the integration of risk assessment is more difficult than the evaluation of each risk factors involving gene flow, toxicity and allergenicity. Variety registration of transgenic crops requires the results of risk assessment compared with non-GM crops and agronomic data analyzed with standard varieties. For economic and fast commercialization, risk assessment process should combined with condition of cultivation test for variety registration.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.829-835
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• 2012

The cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops has increased due to their economic and agronomic advantages. Before commercialization of GM crops, however, we must assess the potential risks of GM crops on human health and environment. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible impact of Bt rice on the soil microbial community. Microbial communities were isolated from the rhizosphere soil cultivated with Bt rice and Nakdong, parental cultivar and were subjected to be analyzed using both culture-dependent and molecular methods. The total counts of bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes in the rhizosphere of transgenic and conventional rice were not significantly different. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of PCR-amplified 16S rRNA genes revealed that the bacterial community structures during cultural periods were very similar each other. Analysis of dominant isolates in the rhizosphere cultivated with Bt and Nakdong rice showed that the dominant isolates from the soil of Bt rice and Nakdong belonged to the Proteobacteria, Cloroflexi, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Acidobacteria. These results indicate that the Bt rice has no significant impact on the soil microbial communities during cultivation period. Further study remains to be investigated whether the residue of Bt rice effect on the soil environment.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2003

In an attempt to evaluate the current research status of genetically modified (GM) plants, the scientific research publications in Korea as well as in international SCI journals were screened. About 190 research articles related to the development of GM plants were searched from 10 different domestic journals in the last 12 years (Jan. 1990 to Sept. 2002), The researches in 65 articles were carried out with tobacco plant, 20 with rice, 19 with potatoes, and less then 9 articles from each other plant species, respectively, In total, 38 different plant species were being subjected for the development of GM plants. In particular, there was only one article for each major staple grains such as wheat, barley, soybean, and maize. In more than 47% of total published articles, scientists mainly focused on the basic research such as developing transformation system (46 articles), gene expression study in transgenic plants (34), and vector constructions (10). In addition, 28 articles which main authors are Korean scientists were searched from 11 different international SCI journals. Again, major plants for GM research were tobacco (10) and rice (7). More than 50% of published articles were focused on the basic research, gene expression study with transgenic plants (16). The publications on the research of disease-resistant plants were 7 articles, 3 for the development of stress-resistant and 2 for the herbicide-resistant plants, respectively. It is believed that the last 10 year's investment through government organizations has just strengthen the capacity for the next big stride on agricultural biotechnology in Korea.