• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.1384-1390
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• 2018

Glyphosate inhibits the target enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) in the shikimate pathway. A mutant of EPSPS from Pantoea sp. was identified using site-directed mutagenesis. The mutant showed significantly improved glyphosate resistance. The mutant had mutations in three amino acids: Gly97 to Ala, Thr 98 to Ile, and Pro 102 to Ser. These mutation sites in Escherichia coli have been studied as significant active sites of glyphosate resistance. However, in our research, they were found to jointly contribute to the improvement of glyphosate tolerance. In addition, the level of glyphosate tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis confirmed the potentiality of the mutant in breeding glyphosate-resistant plants.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.65-68
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• 2006

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.10
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• pp.1421-1426
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• 2014

Although a large number of AroA enzymes (EPSPS: 5-enopyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase) have been identified, cloned, and tested for glyphosate resistance, only two AroA variants, derived from Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain CP4 and Zea mays, have been utilized to produce the commercial glyphosate-resistant crops. Here, we have used a PCR-based twostep DNA synthesis method to synthesize an aroA gene ($aroA_{A.\;metalliredigens}$) from Alkaliphilus metalliredigens, encoding a new EPSPS. Furthermore, transgenic Arabidopsis with the new $aroA_{A.\;metalliredigens}$ gene was obtained to confirm the potential of the novel aroA gene in developing glyphosate-resistant crops.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.49 no.3
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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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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.253-261
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• 2007

This study was conducted to develop an antibiotics marker-free potato (Solanum tuberosum L., cv. Taedong valley) plant having resistance against two herbicides. Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA105, harboring a binary vector plasmid pCAMBIA3300 containing bar gene under the control of a promoter CaMV35S and linked CP4-EPSPS genes driven by CaMV35S promoter, was used in the current study. The leaf segments of newly bred potato variety (cv. Taedong Valley) was co-cultured with Agrobacterium. Then, the regenerated individual shoots were excised and transferred to potato multiplication medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/L phosphinothricin. The shoots were rooted in MS medium without hormone and obtained putative transgenic plant E3-6. Integration of target genes into the E3-6 plant and their expression was confirmed by PCR, Southern analysis, and ELISA test. The tissue necrosis test on young leaf blade and shikimic acid accumulation test using the tissue of E3-6 plant were conducted to investigate the resistance to glufosinate-ammonium and glyphosate, respectively. The transgenic plants (E3-6) simultaneously showed a high resistance to both herbicides. The same results were surely obtained also in the whole plants foliar-treated with alone or mixture of two herbicides, glufosinate-ammonium and glyphosate.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Biotechnology Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.175-175
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• 2003

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Grassland Science Conference
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.180-181
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• 2005

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.498-502
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• 2004

The current study was conducted to monitor the possibility of the gene transfer among soil bacteria, including the effect of drift due to rain and surface water, in relation to the release of genetically modified organisms into the environment. Four types of bacteria, each with a distinct antibiotic marker, kanamycin-resistant P. fluorescens, rifampicin-resistant P. putida, chloramphenicol-resistant B. subtilis, and spectinomycin-resistant B. subtilis, were plated using a small-scale soil-core device designed to track drifting microorganisms. After three weeks of culture in the device, no Pseudomonas colonies resistant to both kanamycin and rifampicin were found. Likewise, no Bacillus colonies resistant to both chloramphenicol and spectinomycin were found. The gene transfer from glyphosate-tolerant soybeans to soil bacteria, including Rhizobium spp. as a symbiotic bacteria, was examined by hybridization using the DNA extracted from soil taken from pots, in which glyphosate-tolerant soybeans had been growing for 6 months. The results showed that 35S, T-nos, and EPSPS were observed in the positive control, but not in the DNA extracted from the soilborne microorganisms. In addition, no transgenes, such as the 35S promoter, T-nos, and EPSPS introduced into the GMO soybeans were detected in soilborne bacteria, Rhizobium leguminosarum, thereby strongly rejecting the possibility of gene transfer from the GMO soybeans to the bacterium.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.1162-1169
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• 2014

Glyphosate is the active component of the top-selling herbicide, the phytotoxicity of which is due to its inhibition of the shikimic acid pathway. 5-Enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) is a key enzyme in the shikimic acid pathway. Glyphosate tolerance in plants can be achieved by the expression of a glyphosate-insensitive aroA gene (EPSPS). In this study, we used a PCR-based two-step DNA synthesis method to synthesize a new aroA gene ($aroA_{R.\;leguminosarum}$) from Rhizobium leguminosarum. In vitro glyphosate sensitivity assays showed that $aroA_{R.\;leguminosarum}$ is glyphosate tolerant. The new gene was then expressed in E. coli and key kinetic values of the purified enzyme were determined. Furthermore, we transformed the aroA gene into Arabidopsis thaliana by the floral dip method. Transgenic Arabidopsis with the $aroA_{R.\;leguminosarum}$ gene was obtained to prove its potential use in developing glyphosate-resistant crops.

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.277-283
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• 2009

One of the limitations to conducting maize Agrobacterium-mediated transformation using explants of immature zygotic embryos routinely is the availability of the explants. To produce immature embryos routinely and continuously requires a well-equipped greenhouse and laborious artificial pollination. To overcome this limitation, an Agrobacterium-mediated transformation system using explants of type II embryogenic calli was developed. Once the type II embryogenic calli are produced, they can be subcultured and/or proliferated conveniently. The objectives of this study were to demonstrate a stable Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of maize using explants of type II embryonic calli and to evaluate the efficiency of the protocol in order to develop herbicide-resistant maize. The type II embryogenic calli were inoculated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain C58C1 carrying binary vector pTF102, and then were subsequently cultured on the following media: co-cultivation medium for 1 day, delay medium for 7 days, selection medium for $4{\times}14$ days, regeneration medium, and finally on germination medium. The T-DNA of the vector carried two cassettes (Ubi promoter-EPSPs ORF-nos and 35S promoter-bar ORF-nos). The EPSPs conferred resistance to glyphosate and bar conferred resistance to phosphinothricin. The confirmation of stable transformation and the efficiency of transformation was based on the resistance to phosphinothricin indicated by the growth of putative transgenic calli on selection medium amended with $4mg\;1^{-1}$ phosphinothricin, northern blot analysis of bar gene, and leaf painting assay for detection of bar gene-based herbicide resistance. Northern blot analysis and leaf painting assay confirmed the expression of bar transgenes in the $R_1$ generation. The average transformation efficiency was 0.60%. Based on northern blot analysis and leaf painting assay, line 31 was selected as an elite line of maize resistant to herbicide.