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Nontarget Effects of Genetic Manipulation

Type of Nontarget Effect: Physiological

alfalfa_001: Alfalfa with corn transgenes for anthocyanin (red-purple pigment) production was not visibly altered or changed dependent on different light and temperature conditions.

apple_001: Apples over-expressing a fruit-ripening enzyme lacked flowers and had malformed stomata and altered composition of cell walls.

arabidopsis_001: Plants producing a biodegradable polyester were smaller, never produced seeds and showed severe changes in metabolism.

arabidopsis_002: Suppression of DHS enzyme in Arabidopsis (a mustard plant) was associated with enlarged leaves, greater root mass, and enhanced seed yield.

arabidopsis_003: Overexpression of phytoene synthase gene in Arabidopsis resulted in delayed germination, increased levels of chlorophyll, and changes in relative levels of carotenoids.

barley_001: Barley expressing a heat-stable enzyme showed highly variable expression of the enzyme, an anomalous distribution of expression in the grain, and dramatically reduced weight of individual grains.

canola_001: Canola plants over-expressing a bacterial phytoene synthase gene also had a reduced level of chlorophyll, changed structure of plastids, changed composition of fatty acids, and delayed germination.

canola_004: Pigs fed GM canola had reduced daily weight gain and the canola had higher concentrations of undesirable substances.

cotton_001: Bt cotton showed decreased ability to kill cotton bollworm larvae during flower development and flowering.

cotton_002: Bt cotton had altered protein metabolism and produced less insecticidal toxin in leaves when subjected to high temperatures during boll formation.

maize_001: Bt maize has higher lignin content.

maize_005: Bt maize varieties matured more slowly and had on average lower grain yield and higher grain moisture content than conventional varieties.

maize_006: Bt maize had changed lipid composition in stems; also, lipid composition in soil was altered, and soil respiration was reduced.

pea_001: Mice fed with transgenic weevil-resistant peas showed immune reaction while pigs and chickens had reduced starch digestion.

pineapple_001: Pineapple plants with transgenes for fungus and herbicide resistance had altered biochemical make-up.

potato_001: Potatoes with altered sugar metabolism had changed levels of many metabolites, some not thought to be associated with sugar metabolism.

potato_002: Inulin-storing potatoes had higher alkaloid content and pigs fed on them had reduced daily weight gain.

potato_003: Potatoes genetically modified to store more starch stored less starch.

potato_004: Insect-resistant transgenic potatoes had less foliage and altered levels of leaf-glycoalkaloids.

potato_005: Potatoes with transgene for virus resistance were variably resistant, and some lines without the target gene nevertheless became highly resistant.

root_nodule_bacteria_001: Root nodule bacteria with Bt transgene tended to displace non-manipulated bacteria in legume root nodules.

soybean_001: Herbicide-resistant soybean plants were shorter, with less chlorophyll, lower weight, and increased susceptibility to stem-splitting at high temperatures.

soybean_003: Glyphosate-resistant soybeans exuded glyphosate, carbohydrates, and amino acids into the soil and affected the microorganism soil community.

tobacco_002: Transgenic tobacco with resistance to bleaching herbicides had altered composition of carotenoids.

tomato_001: Tomato plants overexpressing phytoene synthase gene were stunted in growth.

tomato_002: Flavonol-enriched tomatoes had altered levels of at least fifteen other substances.

tomato_003: Suppression of DHS gene in tomatoes was associated with lack of fruiting, altered leaf morphology, higher rate of photosynthesis and other changes.

tomato_004: Transgenic tomatoes altered with a marker gene construct showed significant changes in morphological and physiological characteristics.

wheat_001: Wheat transformed with a high-molecular-weight glutenin gene showed irregular expression of glutenin and changed its expression levels over subsequent generations.

wheat_002: Wheat with transgene for low-molecular-weight glutenin showed anomalies in glutenin production and some plants had reduced levels of other storage proteins.

wheat_003: Spring wheat with scab-resistance transgene was not scab resistant and showed localized death of leaf tissue.

wheat_004: Wheat expressing transgenic glutenin shows reduction in yield, varying production of glutenin, and altered morphology.


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