Bt brinjal
Encyclopedia
The Bt brinjal is a suite of transgenic brinjals (also known as an eggplant or aubergine) created by inserting a crystal protein gene
(Cry1Ac) from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis
into the genome
of various brinjal cultivar
s. The insertion of the gene, along with other genetic elements like promoters, terminators
and an antibiotic resistance marker gene
into the brinjal plant is accomplished using Agrobacterium
-mediated genetic transformation. The Bt brinjal has been developed to give resistance against lepidopteron
insects, in particular the Brinjal Fruit and Shoot Borer (Leucinodes orbonalis
)(FSB). Mahyco, an Indian Seed Company based in Jalna
, Maharashtra
has developed the Bt brinjal. The genetically modified brinjal event is termed Event EE 1 and Mahyco have also applied for approval of two brinjal hybrids. The Event EE 1 was introgressed by plant breeding into various local varieties by University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad and Tamil Nadu Agricultural University
, Coimbatore. Some of the cultivars of brinjal include: Malpur local, Manjari gota, Kudachi local, Udupi local, 112 GO, and Pabkavi local. It was approved for commercialization in India in 2009, but after a public outcry the Indian government applied a moratorium
on its release.
35S (CaMV35S) promoter, which ensures the gene is expressed in all the brinjals tissue throughout its complete life cycle
. NptII and aad are selectable marker genes, nptII is used to identify transgenic plants from non-transgenic and aad is used to identify the transformed bacteria
used during the development of the construct. Aad contains a bacterial promoter and is not expressed in the Bt Brinjal. The completed construct
was inserted into young cotyledons from the brinjal plants using agrobacterium-mediated techniques. Agrobacterium naturally inserts DNA into plants from its Ti plasmid
and scientists use this to insert their genes of interest into various plants. The transformed plants were regenerated and analyzed for the presence of the gene through Southern blotting. The plants progeny
were also analyzed to identify lines
segregating in a Mendelian fashion
.
data presented by Mahyco. They concluded that while the current data demonstrated that Bt brinjal was safe and equivalent to its non Bt counterpart, more studies were required to re-affirm the findings and further trials were needed to ascertain the benefits from Bt brinjal with respect to existing methods for pest management and pesticide reduction. They recommended that large scale trials be allowed to go ahead. In 2009 a second expert committee (EC-II) examined the data from these trials. They concluded that adequate safety tests had been performed, stating that "the benefits of Bt brinjal event EE-I developed by M/s Mahyco far outweigh the perceived and projected risks", and advised the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) to recommend commercialization of the Bt brinjal.
The GEAC cleared Bt brinjal for commercialization on 14 October 2009. Following concerns raised by some scientists, farmers and anti-GM activists the government of India officially announced on 9 February 2010 that it needed more time before releasing Bt brinjal, with Indian Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh
saying that there is no overriding urgency to introduce Bt brinjal in India. On 17 February 2010, Jairam Ramesh reiterated that the Centre had only imposed a moratorium on the release of transgenic brinjal hybrid, and not a permanent ban, saying that “until we arrive at a political, scientific and societal consensus, this moratorium will remain”. Companies with any seeds of Bt brinjal will have to register the details with the government and the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) was made responsible for storage of all the Bt brinjal seeds in India. Independent testing labs are currently being set up.
surrounding the development and release of genetically modified food
s, ranging from human safety and environmental impacts to ethical concerns such as corporate control of the food supply and intellectual property
rights. The brinjal is an important food crop for India and the potential commercialization of a genetically modified variety has drawn support and criticism. Although it is a major food crop in India, brinjal production is relatively low with fruit and shoot borer infestation
a major constraint to yield
. Proponents of the technology believe the Bt brinjal will have positive effects for the Indian economy and the health of the farmers. Field trials conducted on research-managed farms carried out by Mayhco and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research
suggested a 42% pesticide
reduction and a doubling of the yield was possible. The economic gain for consumers, developers and farmers was estimated to potentially be US$108 million per year with an additional $3–4 million saved due to health benefits associated with decreased pesticide use.
French scientist Gilles-Eric Seralini, of the Committee for Independent Research and Information on Genetic Engineering, reviewed the safety information. He raised concerns about some of the differences between feeding trials using the genetically modified and non-modified Brinjal and criticized some of the testing protocols
. The EC-II responded to the concerns raised by Seralini and other scientists in their report, although opponents asserted that these concerns were not adequately addressed. New Zealand epidemiologist Lou Gallagher also criticised the feeding trials saying that the raw data indicated toxic effects were associated with the rats fed the Bt Brinjal. Concerns have also been raised about a possible conflict of interest
, with some of the scientists appointed to the GEAC being involved in developing their own GM products, that the decision by the EC-II was not unanimous, and about the reliability of safety data originating from Mahcyo run trials. The imposed moratorium has been criticized by some scientists as not being based on any compelling scientific evidence and potentially setting Indian biotechnology
back decades. Others feel the critical issue is not the safety of the GM technology, but its corporatization
and there are claims that India’s crop protection industry was a major player in preventing the commercialization of the Bt brinjal. India's National Biodiversity Authority is probing the crop scientists involved in developing the Bt Brinjal for allegedly violating India's 2002 Biological Diversity Act by using local cultivars and foreign technology without their permission.
Gene
A gene is a molecular unit of heredity of a living organism. It is a name given to some stretches of DNA and RNA that code for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. Living beings depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains...
(Cry1Ac) from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis
Bacillus thuringiensis
Bacillus thuringiensis is a Gram-positive, soil-dwelling bacterium, commonly used as a biological pesticide; alternatively, the Cry toxin may be extracted and used as a pesticide. B...
into the genome
Genome
In modern molecular biology and genetics, the genome is the entirety of an organism's hereditary information. It is encoded either in DNA or, for many types of virus, in RNA. The genome includes both the genes and the non-coding sequences of the DNA/RNA....
of various brinjal cultivar
Cultivar
A cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
s. The insertion of the gene, along with other genetic elements like promoters, terminators
Terminator (genetics)
In genetics, a terminator, or transcription terminator is a section of genetic sequence that marks the end of gene or operon on genomic DNA for transcription.In prokaryotes, two classes of transcription terminators are known:...
and an antibiotic resistance marker gene
Selectable marker
A selectable marker is a gene introduced into a cell, especially a bacterium or to cells in culture, that confers a trait suitable for artificial selection. They are a type of reporter gene used in laboratory microbiology, molecular biology, and genetic engineering to indicate the success of a...
into the brinjal plant is accomplished using Agrobacterium
Agrobacterium
Agrobacterium is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria established by H. J. Conn that uses horizontal gene transfer to cause tumors in plants. Agrobacterium tumefaciens is the most commonly studied species in this genus...
-mediated genetic transformation. The Bt brinjal has been developed to give resistance against lepidopteron
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera is a large order of insects that includes moths and butterflies . It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
insects, in particular the Brinjal Fruit and Shoot Borer (Leucinodes orbonalis
Leucinodes orbonalis
The Eggplant Fruit and Shoot Borer or Brinjal Fruit and Shoot Borer is a moth species in the genus Leucinodes. It is found throughout the tropics in Asia and Africa and is a minor pest in the Americas....
)(FSB). Mahyco, an Indian Seed Company based in Jalna
Jalna (city)
Jalna is a city and a municipal council in Jalna district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Jalna was formerly a part of Nizam State as a tahsil of Aurangabad district....
, Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
has developed the Bt brinjal. The genetically modified brinjal event is termed Event EE 1 and Mahyco have also applied for approval of two brinjal hybrids. The Event EE 1 was introgressed by plant breeding into various local varieties by University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad and Tamil Nadu Agricultural University
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University came into being on June 1, 1971. However, it had its genesis from establishment of an agricultural school at Saidapet, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, in 1868 and was later relocated at Marudamalai Road in Coimbatore....
, Coimbatore. Some of the cultivars of brinjal include: Malpur local, Manjari gota, Kudachi local, Udupi local, 112 GO, and Pabkavi local. It was approved for commercialization in India in 2009, but after a public outcry the Indian government applied a moratorium
Moratorium (law)
A moratorium is a delay or suspension of an activity or a law. In a legal context, it may refer to the temporary suspension of a law to allow a legal challenge to be carried out....
on its release.
Development
Mahyco licensed and used the cry1Ac gene obtained from Monsanto and two supporting genes (nptII and aad). The cry1Ac gene is under the transcriptional control of an enhanced Cauliflower mosaic virusCauliflower mosaic virus
Cauliflower mosaic virus is the type member of the caulimoviruses, one of the six genera in the Caulimoviridae family, pararetroviruses that infect plants...
35S (CaMV35S) promoter, which ensures the gene is expressed in all the brinjals tissue throughout its complete life cycle
Biological life cycle
A life cycle is a period involving all different generations of a species succeeding each other through means of reproduction, whether through asexual reproduction or sexual reproduction...
. NptII and aad are selectable marker genes, nptII is used to identify transgenic plants from non-transgenic and aad is used to identify the transformed bacteria
Genetically modified bacteria
Genetically modified bacteria were the first organisms to be modified in the laboratory, due to their simple genetics. These organisms are now used for several purposes, and are particularly important in producing large amounts of pure human proteins for use in medicine.Leader 2008 — Fee required...
used during the development of the construct. Aad contains a bacterial promoter and is not expressed in the Bt Brinjal. The completed construct
DNA construct
A DNA construct is an artificially constructed segment of nucleic acid that is going to be "transplanted" into a target tissue or cell...
was inserted into young cotyledons from the brinjal plants using agrobacterium-mediated techniques. Agrobacterium naturally inserts DNA into plants from its Ti plasmid
Ti plasmid
Ti plasmid is a circular plasmid that often, but not always, is a part of the genetic equipment that Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Agrobacterium rhizogenes use to transduce its genetic material to plants. Ti stands for tumor inducing. The Ti plasmid is lost when Agrobacterium is grown above 28°C....
and scientists use this to insert their genes of interest into various plants. The transformed plants were regenerated and analyzed for the presence of the gene through Southern blotting. The plants progeny
Offspring
In biology, offspring is the product of reproduction, of a new organism produced by one or more parents.Collective offspring may be known as a brood or progeny in a more general way...
were also analyzed to identify lines
Lineage (evolution)
An evolutionary lineage is a sequence of species, that form a line of descent, each new species the direct result of speciation from an immediate ancestral species. Lineages are subsets of the evolutionary tree of life. Lineages are often determined by the techniques of molecular systematics.-...
segregating in a Mendelian fashion
Mendelian inheritance
Mendelian inheritance is a scientific description of how hereditary characteristics are passed from parent organisms to their offspring; it underlies much of genetics...
.
Attempted commercialization in India
An expert committee (EC-I) was set up in 2006 to examine the biosafetyBiosafety
Biosafety: prevention of large-scale loss of biological integrity, focusing both on ecology and human health .Biosafety is related to several fields:*In ecology ,...
data presented by Mahyco. They concluded that while the current data demonstrated that Bt brinjal was safe and equivalent to its non Bt counterpart, more studies were required to re-affirm the findings and further trials were needed to ascertain the benefits from Bt brinjal with respect to existing methods for pest management and pesticide reduction. They recommended that large scale trials be allowed to go ahead. In 2009 a second expert committee (EC-II) examined the data from these trials. They concluded that adequate safety tests had been performed, stating that "the benefits of Bt brinjal event EE-I developed by M/s Mahyco far outweigh the perceived and projected risks", and advised the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) to recommend commercialization of the Bt brinjal.
The GEAC cleared Bt brinjal for commercialization on 14 October 2009. Following concerns raised by some scientists, farmers and anti-GM activists the government of India officially announced on 9 February 2010 that it needed more time before releasing Bt brinjal, with Indian Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh
Jairam Ramesh
Jairam Ramesh born April 9, 1954, is an Indian economist and an influential politician of the Congress Party in the United Progressive Alliance ruling coalition of center-left political parties heading the Government of India. He is a Member of Parliament representing Andhra Pradesh state in the...
saying that there is no overriding urgency to introduce Bt brinjal in India. On 17 February 2010, Jairam Ramesh reiterated that the Centre had only imposed a moratorium on the release of transgenic brinjal hybrid, and not a permanent ban, saying that “until we arrive at a political, scientific and societal consensus, this moratorium will remain”. Companies with any seeds of Bt brinjal will have to register the details with the government and the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) was made responsible for storage of all the Bt brinjal seeds in India. Independent testing labs are currently being set up.
Controversy
There are many controversiesGenetically modified food controversies
The genetically modified foods controversy is a dispute over the relative advantages and disadvantages of genetically modified food crops and other uses of genetically-modified organisms in food production. The dispute involves biotechnology companies, governmental regulators, non-governmental...
surrounding the development and release of genetically modified food
Genetically modified food
Genetically modified foods are foods derived from genetically modified organisms . Genetically modified organisms have had specific changes introduced into their DNA by genetic engineering techniques...
s, ranging from human safety and environmental impacts to ethical concerns such as corporate control of the food supply and intellectual property
Intellectual property
Intellectual property is a term referring to a number of distinct types of creations of the mind for which a set of exclusive rights are recognized—and the corresponding fields of law...
rights. The brinjal is an important food crop for India and the potential commercialization of a genetically modified variety has drawn support and criticism. Although it is a major food crop in India, brinjal production is relatively low with fruit and shoot borer infestation
Infestation
Infestation refers to the state of being invaded or overrun by pests or parasites. It can also refer to the actual organisms living on or within a host.-Terminology:...
a major constraint to yield
Crop yield
In agriculture, crop yield is not only a measure of the yield of cereal per unit area of land under cultivation, yield is also the seed generation of the plant itself...
. Proponents of the technology believe the Bt brinjal will have positive effects for the Indian economy and the health of the farmers. Field trials conducted on research-managed farms carried out by Mayhco and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research
Indian Council of Agricultural Research
Indian Council of Agricultural Research , New Delhi, India is an autonomous organisation under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India...
suggested a 42% pesticide
Pesticide
Pesticides are substances or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest.A pesticide may be a chemical unicycle, biological agent , antimicrobial, disinfectant or device used against any pest...
reduction and a doubling of the yield was possible. The economic gain for consumers, developers and farmers was estimated to potentially be US$108 million per year with an additional $3–4 million saved due to health benefits associated with decreased pesticide use.
French scientist Gilles-Eric Seralini, of the Committee for Independent Research and Information on Genetic Engineering, reviewed the safety information. He raised concerns about some of the differences between feeding trials using the genetically modified and non-modified Brinjal and criticized some of the testing protocols
Protocol (natural sciences)
In the natural sciences a protocol is a predefined written procedural method in the design and implementation of experiments. Protocols are written whenever it is desirable to standardize a laboratory method to ensure successful replication of results by others in the same laboratory or by other...
. The EC-II responded to the concerns raised by Seralini and other scientists in their report, although opponents asserted that these concerns were not adequately addressed. New Zealand epidemiologist Lou Gallagher also criticised the feeding trials saying that the raw data indicated toxic effects were associated with the rats fed the Bt Brinjal. Concerns have also been raised about a possible conflict of interest
Conflict of interest
A conflict of interest occurs when an individual or organization is involved in multiple interests, one of which could possibly corrupt the motivation for an act in the other....
, with some of the scientists appointed to the GEAC being involved in developing their own GM products, that the decision by the EC-II was not unanimous, and about the reliability of safety data originating from Mahcyo run trials. The imposed moratorium has been criticized by some scientists as not being based on any compelling scientific evidence and potentially setting Indian biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
back decades. Others feel the critical issue is not the safety of the GM technology, but its corporatization
Corporatization
Corporatization refers to the transformation of state assets or agencies into state-owned corporations in order to introduce corporate management techniques to their administration...
and there are claims that India’s crop protection industry was a major player in preventing the commercialization of the Bt brinjal. India's National Biodiversity Authority is probing the crop scientists involved in developing the Bt Brinjal for allegedly violating India's 2002 Biological Diversity Act by using local cultivars and foreign technology without their permission.