Green Genes

Abstract

The Green Genes column focuses on biotechnology research and use of genetically modified (GM) plants for crop improvement, medical and veterinary biologics, alternative fuels, and environmental remediation. Genetically modified plants show promise for benefits to global health and environment. At the same time, biotechnology research and products must be safe for the environment (flora and wildlife), agriculture, and humans. This column will provide biosafety professionals with background information, reviews of current research, and interdisciplinary insight to inform biological risk assessment and institutional biosafety programs for plant research. Green Genes topics are broadly applicable, but will primarily focus on U.S. research settings and jurisdictions. Please e-mail any comments or suggestions to mmmaccree@ucdavis.edu, Co-Editor Barbara Johnson at karen_byers@dfci.harvard.edu.

References

Adair

, Irwin

. A practical guide to containment. Information systems for biotechnology. Blacksburg (VA): VPI; 2008.

Caplan

, Dinesh-Kumar

. Using viral vectors to silence endogenous genes. Current protocols in microbiology. 2006;(Suppl 1):16I.6.1–13.

Escobar

, Dandekar

. Agrobacterium tumefaciens as an agent of disease. Trends Plant Sci. 2003; 8(8):380–6.

Gelvin

. Agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation: The biology behind the “gene-jockeying” tool. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev. 2003; 67(1):16–37.

Giammanco

, Pignato

, Santangelo

, Grimont

, Giammanco

. Molecular typing of Agrobacterium species isolates from catheter-related bloodstream infections. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2004; 25:885–7.

Gleba

, Klimyuk

, Marillonnet

. Viral vectors for the expression of proteins in plants. Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2007; 18(2):134–41.

Hoekema

, Hirsch

, Hooykaas

PJJ

, Schilperoort

. A binary plant vector strategy based on separation of vir-and t-region of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens Ti plasmid. Nature. 1983; 303:179–80.

Kleczewski

, Egel

. Sanitation for disease and pest management [Internet]. Lafayette (IN): Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service; 2011 [cited 2013 June 3]. Available from: www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/HO/HO-250-W.pdf.

Kluepfel

, McClean

, Yakabe

, Maccree

, Parker

. Detection and implication of early Agrobacterium tumefaciens infection of paradox seeds and seedlings. In: Proceedings of the VI^th International Walnut Symposium; 2009 Feb 25–27; Melbourne, Australia. Acta Hort. 2009; 861:497–500.

10.

Lacroix

, Tzfira

, Vainstein

, Citovsky

. A case of promiscuity: Agrobacterium's endless hunt for new partners. Trends Genet. 2006; 22:29–37.

11.

Lee

, Gelvin

. T-DNA binary vectors and systems. Plant Physiol. 2008; 146:325–32.

12.

Marillonnet

, Thoeringer

, Kandzia

, Klimyuk

, Gleba

. Systemic Agrobacterium tumefaciens—Mediated transfection of viral replicons for efficient transient expression in plants. Nature Biotechnol. 2005; 23:718–23.

13.

National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIH guidelines for research involving recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): NIH; 2013 [cited 2013 June 3]. Available from: http://oba.od.nih.gov/oba/rac/Guidelines/NIH_Guidelines.pdf.

14.

Piper

, von Bodman

, Farrand

. Conjugation factor of Agrobacterium tumefaciens regulates Ti plasmid transfer by autoinduction. Nature. 1993; 362(6419):448–50.

15.

Radhamony

, Prasad

, Srinivasan

. T-DNA insertional mutagenesis in Arabidopsis: A tool for functional genomics. Electron J Biotechno. 2005; 8(1):82–106.

16.

Tzfira

, Citovsky

. Partners-in-infection: Host proteins involved in the transformation of plant cells by Agrobacterium. Trends Cell Biol. 2002; 12(3):121–9.

17.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH). Biosafety in microbiological and biomedical laboratories. 5th ed.. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office; 2009.

18.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). 7 CFR 330.200-Movement of plant pests [Internet]. Washington, DC: USDA; 2013 [cited 2013 June 30]. Available from: www.ecfr.gov.

19.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). 7 CFR 340—Introduction of organisms and products altered or produced through genetic engineering which are plant pests or which there is reason to believe are plant pests [Internet]. Washington, DC: USDA; 2013 [cited 2013 May 3]. Available from: www.ecfr.gov.

20.

Wang

, Turina

, Stewart

, Lindbo

, Falk

. Agroinoculation of the crinivirus, lettuce infectious yellows virus, for systemic plant infection. Virol J. 2009; 392(1):131–6.