Working group session:
Germplasm and Genetic Stocks
Presentation type:
poster
Authors:
Samiullah, Tahir Rehman; Shahid, Ahmad Ali
Presenter:
Samiullah, Tahir Rehman
Correspondent:
Samiullah, Tahir Rehman
Abstract:
Advances in genetic engineering in recent years have led to the development of plants that are resistant to some insects through incorporation and expression of genes encoding delta-endotoxins (δ- endotoxins) from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis. As transgenic crops have revolutioned the world agriculture on one side, there has been a great concern regarding the impact of these transgenic food on animals and human being which are the main consumers of transgenic feed. A 120 days study was carried out to evaluate the potential risk of transgenic Bt diet on experimental rats. Weight gained/loss, mortality/survival, insecticidal gene integration and expression, biochemical and histological studies were the main parameters undertaken to investigate effect of transgenic Bt diet in these animals. No lethal effects of transgenic Bt diet on both groups of animals were observed. Rats had very similar growth pattern when fed either Bt transgenic or non Bt diet. No significant differences in relative weights observed during the entire period of study. No any evidence of insecticidal gene integration and expression was found. Histological and biochemical tests also suggested that transgenic diet did not make any significant morphological and physiological differences among experimental organisms.