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http://dx.doi.org/10.15433/ksmb.2019.11.2.052

Monitoring and Environmental Risk Assessment of Genetically Modified Microalgae  

Cho, Kichul (Department of Genetic Resources Research, National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea)
Jeon, Hancheol (Department of Genetic Resources Research, National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea)
Hwang, Hyun-Ju (Department of Genetic Resources Research, National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea)
Hong, Ji Won (Department of Taxonomy and Systematics, National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea)
Lee, Dae-Sung (Department of Genetic Resources Research, National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea)
Han, Jong Won (Department of Genetic Resources Research, National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea)
Publication Information
Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology / v.11, no.2, 2019 , pp. 52-61 More about this Journal
Abstract
Over the past few decades, microalgae-based biotechnology conjugated with innovative CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genetic engineering has been attracted much attention for the cost-effective and eco-friendly value-added compounds production. However, the discharge of reproducible living modified organism (LMO) into environmental condition potentially causes serious problem in aquatic environment, and thus it is essential to assess potential environmental risk for human health. Accordingly, in this study, we monitored discharged genetically modified microalgae (GMM) near the research complex which is located in Daejeon, South Korea. After testing samples obtained from 6 points of near streams, several green-colored microalgal colonies were detected under hygromicin-containing agar plate. By identification of selection marker genes, the GMM was not detected from all the samples. For the lab-scale environmental risk assessment of GMM, acute toxicity test using rotifer Brachionus calcyflorus was performed by feeding GMM. After feeding, there was no significant difference in mortality between WT and transformant Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. According to further analysis of horizontal transfer of green fluorescence protein (GFP)-coding gene after 24 h of incubation in synthetic freshwater, we concluded that the GFP-expressed gene not transferred into predator. However, further risk assessments and construction of standard methods including prolonged toxicity test are required for the accurate ecological risk assessment.
Keywords
Environmental risk assessment; GMO; LMO; Horizontal gene transfer; Monitoring; Microalgae;
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