IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF POSSIBLE GENETICALLY MODIFIED MAIZE (Zea mays), SOYBEAN (Glycine max) AND IN SILICO ANALYSIS OF TRANSGENIC COWPEA IN NORTHERN NIGERIA
IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF POSSIBLE GENETICALLY MODIFIED MAIZE (Zea mays), SOYBEAN (Glycine max) AND IN SILICO ANALYSIS OF TRANSGENIC COWPEA IN NORTHERN NIGERIA
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Date
2018-09
Authors
ISAH, Abraham
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Abstract
The commercial release of Genetically Modified (GM) grains expressing resistance against the herbicide imazapyr, in some countries has led to improved agricultural outputs. Despite the high concern of the possible existence of GM crops in Nigeria, no comprehensive survey has been made to track the possible availability of such events. The aim of this study is to establish a biosafety database of GM Crop under confined field trial and those from possibly available or illegally introduced GM crops in northern Nigeria. Seeds of soybean and maize were randomly collected from major markets across Northern Nigeria. Lateral flow strip test was conducted using Bt1Ac test strips of lot number 6M1053, Cry1Ac test strip of lot number 6G1027, LibertyLink PAT strips of lot number 030023 and Cry2A test strips of lot number 031157. Morphological characterization was done using the seeds and leaves of the plant. The transgenic event was characterized using a range of technique including Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and 16 allergen and toxin database. No transgenic event was detected in any of the commercialized maize and soybean samples. PCR analysis using PAT, Cry and CP4 SPSPS primers also confirmed the absence of any of the respective transgenic event. Conclusively, no transgenic event was found in the grains tested across the various markets of Northern Nigeria based on the samples analysed in this study. The 8,996,415 sequences alignment conducted using BLASTP 2.2.27+, FASTA35.04 and BLOSUM62 scoring matrix with an e-value cutoff of 0.1 and Maximum identity score of 35%, did not meet any of the toxin or allergen criteria; implying that the Cry1Ab gene introduced in the transgenic cowpea is safe for consumption. The Sliding 80mer, Sliding 8mer and 6mer exact word match conducted also confirmed the transgene and its source organism to be safe, non-allergenic and risk-free to humans.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF A MASTER DEGREE IN BIOCHEMISTRY DEPARTMENT OF BIOCHEMISTRY, FACULTY OF LIFE SCIENCES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, NIGERIA
Keywords
IDENTIFICATION,, CHARACTERIZATION,, POSSIBLE GENETICALLY MODIFIED MAIZE (Zea mays),, SOYBEAN (Glycine max),, SILICO ANALYSIS,, TRANSGENIC COWPEA,, NORTHERN,, NIGERIA