• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• 제45권2호
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• pp.156-160
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• 2013

A duplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was developed to detect unapproved genetically modified (GM) potato (EH92-527-1) in Korea. The UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (UGP) gene was selected as an endogenous reference gene for potato and used to validate the specificity for 14 different crops. The primer pair EH92-F/R was designed to amplify the junction sequence between the genome and transgenic region introduced in GM potato. Its specificity was also validated using several different GM events. The detection limit of the duplex PCR method is approximately 0.05%. This duplex PCR method could be useful for monitoring cultivation of unauthorized GM potato in Korea.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• 제41권4호
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• pp.206-211
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• 2014

Nutritional assessment of transgenic crops to improve safety evaluations is important for food production. An oxidative stress-tolerant rice was generated by stable insertion of the TC gene-a tocopherol cyclase isolated from tobacco-into the genome of a common variety of japonica colored rice. The nutritional composition of the brown rice grains from the transgenic TC line was compared with that of the parental rice cultivar Heugnambyeo and two different varieties of non-transgenic rice. The results indicate that the analyzed nutritional compositions of the brown grains from the transgenic TC line were within the range of values reported for other commercial lines, and measurements of nutritional compositions were equivalent to those of the non-transgenic rice.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• 제27권4호
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• pp.343-348
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• 2008

To investigate the effects of incorporation of green manures (GM) into a sandy loam soil on growth, yield, and nutrient uptake of tomato (Lycoperiscon esculentum Mill.) and nutrient balances (input minus offtake of nutrients), five tomato production systems were compared under the condition of plastic film house: 1) a no input system (no additional amendment or inputs, 0-To-0-To); 2) a conventional system (application of N-P-K chemical fertilizers, Cf-To-Cf-To); 3) a leguminous GM-containing system (hairy vetch-tomato-soybean-tomato, Hv-To-Sb-To); 4) a graminaceous GM-containing system (rye-tomato-sudan grass-tomato, Ry-To-Sd-To); and 5) system mixed with leguminous and graminaceous GMs (rye-tomatosoybean- tomato, Ry-To-Sb-To). Here, hairy vetch and rye were cultivated as winter cover crops during late $Dec{\sim}late$ Feb and soybean and sudan grass were cultivated as summer cover crops during late $Jun{\sim}mid$ Aug. All of them cut before tomato planting and then incorporated into soil. Biomass of GMs was greater in summer season than that of winter season. Nitrogen amount fixed by a leguminous plants was about $126\;kg\;ha^{-1}$ per a cropping season, corresponding to 60% N level needed for tomato production, which was comparable to 50 and $96\;kg\;ha^{-1}$ fixed by rye and sudan grass. As a result, tomato yield of Hv-To-Sb-To system (legume GM treatment) was similar to Cf-To-Cf-To (conventional), but that in Ry-To-Sd-To system (graminaceous GM treatment) was not attained to a half level of conventional treatment. Nutrient budgets for N, P and K on the conventional farm were balanced or somewhat positive exception for minus-balanced K. Ry-To-Sd-To system showed a positive N, P and K budgets due to the depressed growth of tomato which is caused by high C/N ratio and low N-fixing capacity of the GMs. Inversely, those of Hv-To-Sb-To system were negative in all of N, P and K budgets because of increased growth and yield of tomato with high nitrogen-supplying capacity as well as low C/N ratio of leguminous GM. In conclusion, although conventional cultivation has an advantage in relation to N, P and K nutrient budgets rather than GM-incorporated systems, a leguminous GMs could be recommended as nitrogen reservoir and soil amendment because the yield of tomato between use of leguminous GM and conventional cultivation was not only significantly difference, but also GMs commonly reduce nutrient loss and improve microbial communities.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• 제49권3호
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• pp.227-231
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• 2004

A total of 219 polymerase chain reaction tests of genetically modified (GM) DNA sequences in soybean seeds and soybean sprouts were conducted during 2000-2001. No CM gene was found in 96 tests of soybean seeds. However, either a functional CP4EPSPS gene or the 355 promoter gene was found three times in 2000 and eight times in 2001, in between 0.01 and 0.17％ of soybean spout products, in 123 tests. Since the amount of GM genes was much less than the threshold limit of 3％, none of the 11 positive soybean-sprout samples needed to be libeled GM crops. Of these, seven sprout samples were from domestic seeds and four were from seeds imported from China. To find the contamination route, the raw materials, seed surface, floor of the storage room, area around the selection machine, surface of the packaging film and corn powder used in the package were tested. The 35S promoter gene was detected in only two samples of the corn powder (0.1％). Although we could not find the cause of the GM contamination, the sprout package film is one possibility. In total,8.9％ of the soybean sprout tests were GM positive, but the amounts were much less than the threshold of 3％. This means that there are frequent false-positives and these would threaten the sprout industry if GMO were decided qualitatively. Food companies should make their safety data available to the public and make an effort to address people's concerns about GM food more openly. In addition, there is a need to establish a quantitative test for GM genes in sampled water and a sampling method for raw materials.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.456-464
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• 2010

Potato is one of the most important crops in the world. Due to vegetative propagation of this crop, techniques of plant tissue culture and genetic transformation are often applied for potato researches and a lot of progress has been made in the breeding programs using these techniques during the last decades. In potato, there have been several trials to introduce GM potato varieties to the world market, but they so far failed due to the changed legislation and unwillingness of large processors to process GM potatoes. These issues are highly associated with the general acceptances of the public and other political decisions. In addition to these, there are still obstacles to overcome to achieve the development of commercial potato variety and several factors to improve horticulturally important traits. In this study, therefore, we reviewed recent advances and research status on tissue culture and genetic transformation in potato and discussed future perspective.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• 제45권1호
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• pp.28-37
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• 2018

This study was done to develop environmental risk assessments and a biosafety guide for insect-resistant genetically modified rice at a LMO (Living Modified Organism) isolation field. In the LMO quarantine area of Kyungpook National University, the species diversities and population densities of non-target insects found on insect-resistant genetically modified rice (Bt-9) resistant to Cnaphalocrocis medinalis and on non-GM rices (Dongjin and Ilmi) were investigated. The Bt-9 event was therefore evaluated under field conditions to detect possible impacts on the above ground insects and spiders. The study compared transgenic rice and two non-GM reference rices, Ilmi and Dongjin, at Gunwi in Southern Korea in 2016. Each rice was grown on three $18m^2$ plots with a randomized block design. A total of 4,243 individuals from 43 families and 9 orders were collected from the LMO isolation field. In the three types of rice fields, a total of 1,467 individuals from the insect-resistant genetically modified rice (Bt-9), 1,423 individuals from the Ilmi, and 1,353 individuals from the Dongjin were collected, respectively. There was no difference between the population densities of the non-target insect pests, natural enemies and other insects on the insect-resistant genetically modified rice (Bt-9) and non-GM rices. These results provide the diversity and population density of non-target insects for an environment risk assessment survey on insect-resistant genetically modified rice and could be used as a guideline to make a biosafety assessment method for genetically modified crops.

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
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• 제3권4호
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• pp.317-324
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• 2009

The insecticidal toxin gene of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is one of the most commonly used in the development of genetically modified (GM) crops. In this research, we analyzed Bt rice showing lepidopteran pest-resistance. The Bt gene is a synthetic Cry1Ac composed of optimal codons for plants, and the Bt protein is targeted to the chloroplast by a transit peptide. Three Cry1Ac rice events (C103-3, C127-1, and C7-1) were analyzed for molecular characterization. C103-3 contains two copies of T-DNA where the left border (LB) region is truncated. Both C7-1 and C127-1 have a single copy of T-DNA, but a part of the vector backbone DNA is inserted into the genome of C127-1; thus, only C7-1 had intact T-DNA. Progenies of C7-1 crossed with the original cultivar, Nakdong, and double-haploid lines from anther culture of lines crossed with the elite cultivar, Dongjin, were analyzed for T-DNA flanking genomic DNA and genotyping. Results showed that an intact T-DNA region without the vector backbone was inserted into the genome and was stably inherited through generations. The C7-1 homozygous event could be used as breeding material to develop GM rice with pest resistance.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• 제50권4호
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• pp.749-758
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• 2023

An understanding of safety problems pursuant to environmental release of GM (Genetically Modified) crops is considered important. Among the recognized safety problems, the possibilities of weediness and ecosystem invasion are constantly being validated. We herein compared the growth characteristics and germination rate of soybeans formed by hybridization with vitamin A-enhanced soybeans carrying an introduced gene that increases β-carotene content. We also examined overwintering, survival, and weed competitiveness to evaluate hybrid ecological impact on long-term unmanaged cultivatable land. These studies revealed that the hybrid soybeans exhibited intermediate growth characteristics and germination rate compared with the vitamin A-enhanced soybeans and wild soybeans, or exhibited traits similar to those of the maternal strain. Overwintering experiments were conducted by planting seeds at depths of 0, 5, 10, and 20 cm and recovering them after three or five months. After five months, all seeds at depths more than 5 cm lost viability. Among seeds recovered after three months, only wild soybeans retained viability at depths of more than 5 cm. Survival and weed competitiveness were assessed by sowing each type of seed and performing no irrigation, or pest or weed control. Quantitative assessment of numbers of individual soybean plants that appeared in the experimental plot revealed that all plants germinated after sowing, but only wild type plants survived overwintering. These studies suggest that both GM soybeans and hybrid soybeans cannot survive in uncultivated land even if they are released into the environment, which indicates less possibility of ecosystem invasion and weediness.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제45권4호
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• pp.185-189
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• 2002

Along with the worldwide rapid increase of the cultivation area and commercial production of genetically modified (GM) crops, the amount of GM grains imported to Korea has also been increasing. Roundup-Ready soybean (RRS) was introduced with 5-enolpyruvyl shikimate-3-photphate synthase (EPSPS) gene derived from Agrobacterium CP4 to confer the resistance to herbicide, glyphosate. In this study, we tried to develop PCR-based analytical method to detection the presence of RRS among non-GM soybeans. In order to detect RRS specifically, oligonucleotide primers were specifically designed based on the nucleotide sequence of EPSPS transgene. Qualitative PCR method was established and its specificity and accuracy were confirmed by analysing the nucleotide sequence of PCR DNA fragments. Bioassay was also conducted by spraying glyphosate at seedling stage. Survived individuals showed obvious resistance to Roundup Ready, however all of non-GM seedlings died in two weeks after spray. Conclusively, the highly selective detection systems for RRS were successfully established by both PCR using specific primers to EPSPS transgene and bioassay using the herbicide resistance of RRS. In addition to, the imported soybean showed to be mixed to several varieties regarding to 100-seed weight and hilum color.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제65권4호
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• pp.439-446
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• 2022

Soybean is a crop with high-quality of protein and oil, and it is one of the most widely used genetically modified (GM) crops in the world today. In South Korea, Kwangan is the most utilized variety as a parental line for GM soybean development. In this study, untargeted LC-MS metabolomic approaches were used to compare metabolite profiles of Kwangan and three other commercial varieties cultivated in Gunwi and Jeonju in 2020 year. Metabolomic studies revealed that the 4 soybean varieties were distinct based on the partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) score plots; 18 metabolites contributed to variety distinction, including phenylalanine, isoflavones, and fatty acids. All varieties were clearly differentiated by location on the PLS-DA score plot, indicating that the growing environment is also attributable to metabolite variability. In particular, isoflavones and linolenic acid levels in Kwangan were significantly lower and higher, respectively compared to those of the three varieties. It was discussed that it might need to include more diverse conventional varieties as comparators in regard to metabolic characteristics of Kwangan for the assessment of substantial equivalence biogenetically engineered soybeans in a Kwangan-variety background.