Genetic unintended effect

Potential Unintended Effects ofthe Genetic Modification 367... 

It can be envisioned that besides the intended effects of a genetic modification, such as the expression of an insecticidal protein, the modification may also have brought about unintended effects. This may relate, for example, to the insertion of the newly introduced DNA into an intrinsic gene ofthe recipient organism. Also interactions of introduced enzymes with pre-existing biochemical pathways, such as competition for common precursors, can in some theoretical cases be envisioned. 

Rischer H, Oksman-Caldentey BCM (2006) Unintended effects in genetically modified crops revealed by metabolomics Trends Biotechnol 24 102—104... 

Metabolomics and the Detection of Unintended Effects in Genetically Modified Crops... 

Abstract The chapter describes current procedures for the safety assessment of genetically modified crops and foods. The concepts of substantial equivalence, the conventional comparator, and intended and unintended effects are introduced. Most published examples of substantial equivalence testing deal with crops that have been modified for insect resistance or herbicide tolerance. A standard procedure has developed based on broadly similar field trial designs, sampling schemes and targeted analyses of a consensus set of compounds for each crop. The main characteristics of the procedure are summarised with reference to published analyses of this type of crop and different statistical approaches to judging equivalence are discussed. 

There is a current trend towards development of crops with enhanced nutritional properties or health-related benefits through genetic modification of metabolic pathways. These more complex modifications have greater potential for introducing unpredictable unintended effects, and it may be advisable to supplement current targeted analysis procedures with metabolomics methods. The second part of the chapter discusses the... 

A short overview is presented here of the analytical techniques commonly used in metabo-lomics for the detection of unintended effects in genetically modified crops. More details about these techniques are presented in the Chapter 4 by Hill and Wang. 

Cellini F, Chesson A, Colquhoun I, et al. (2004) Unintended effects and their detection in genetically modified crops. Food Chem Toxicol 42 1089-1125... 

Defemez M, Colquhoun IJ (2004) NMR approaches to detect unintended effects of genetic modification in plants. In Nap J P H, Atanassov A and Stiekema W J (ed) Genomics for biosafety in plant biotechnology, NATO science series, lOS press. 

Le Gall G, Colquhoun I J, Davis A L, et al. (2003) Metabolite Profiling of Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) Using H NMR Spectroscopy as a tool to detect potential unintended effects following a genetic modification. J Agric. Food Chem 51 2447-2456... 

Shepherd LVT, McNicol JW, Razzo R, Taylor MA, Davies HV, McNicol JW. (2006) Assessing the potential for unintended effects in genetically modified potatoes perturbed in metabolic and developmental processes. Targeted analysis ofkey nutrients and anti-nutrients. Transgenic Res 15 409 25... 

Another unintended consequence of genetic modification of the plant may be an alteration (relative to Ihe totnl diet) in levels of important nutrients and biouvailability of a nutrient due to changes in the form of the nutrient or of other constituents that effect absorption or metabolism of nutrients. 

National Research Council and Institute ofMedicine of the National Academies (NAS). 2004. Safety of Genetically Engineered Foods Approaches to Assessing Unintended Health Effects. Washington D.C. The National Academy Press. 

Potential allergenicity of the whole food may be considered if the recipient crop already contains allergens. It may therefore be useful to check if the intrinsic allergenic properties of the crop have been changed due to the genetic modification, for example as an unintended side effect. This may entail, for example, serum screening similar as described for testing the purified protein. 

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