The enormous development in gene transfer technology made it possible to evolve new cultivars with valuable agronomic
traits but escape of transgenes from genetically modified crops is one of the major concerns for biosafety. This study was aimed
to investigate the potential flow of rice chitinase gene (RCG3) from transgenic wheat. Soil nutritional analysis was done
through AB-DTPA method, while soil bacteria were isolated and identified based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The
transgenic plant showed the presence of RCG3 gene after PCR analysis while it was absent in control plants. The same gene
was absent in both soil samples collected from transgenic and non-transgenic plants. Soil nutritional analysis showed KNO3
(1.53 mg/kg) and phosphorous contents (1.35 mg/kg) in transgenic wheat soil as compared to their counterparts that gave 3.01
and 2.51 mg/kg KNO3 and phosphorous contents, respectively. Bacterial colonies count showed the maximum number in
transgenic wheat rhizosphere (2x104 CFU/g of a total replication in dilution factor 10-2
). Results showed that both strains of
transgenic and control rhizospheric wheat were from the same group (97% sequence similarity) showing the same common
ancestor. These results clearly demonstrated that neither vertical nor horizontal gene flow occurred from transgenic wheat.
Ashtar Khan, Ghulam Muhammad Ali, Shaukat Ali, Muhammad Amir Zia, Sohail Ahmad Jan, Um-E-Robab. (2018) BIOSAFETY ASSESSMENT OF GENETICALLY ENGINEERED WHEAT (Triticum aestivum L.) UNDER GREENHOUSE CONDITIONS, , Volume 55, Issue 2.
