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Genetically engineered plants producing opines alter their biological environment

Nature Biotechnology volume 15, pages 369–372 (1997)Cite this article

Abstract

Little is known about the consequences of releasing genetically engineered plants (GEP) into the environment. Using opine-producing GEP, we show that transgenic plants alter their biological environment, more precisely the root-associated bacterial populations. The alterations were both transgene-specific and target population-specific. Therefore, assessment studies on the introduction of a given transgene into a GEP will be valid on the given transgene. Evidence of any transgene-associated biological effect will depend on the determination of the pertinent target populations, the identification of which is a key step of such studies.

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Author notes

  1. Yves Dessaux: Corresponding author (e-mail: yves.dessaux@isv.cnrs-gif.fr).

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Plant Science Institute, National Center for Scientific Research, Building 23, Avenue de la Terrasse, F-91198, Gif sur Yvette, France

    Phil Oger, Annik Petit & Yves Dessaux

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  1. Phil Oger
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  2. Annik Petit
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  3. Yves Dessaux
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Oger, P., Petit, A. & Dessaux, Y. Genetically engineered plants producing opines alter their biological environment. Nat Biotechnol 15, 369–372 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt0497-369

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