Journal or Publishing Institution: European Congress of Entomology
Study: http://www.bdarvas.hu/gmo/idn6011
Author(s): Székács, A., Takács, E., Juracsek, J., Lauber, E. and Darvas, B.
Article Type: Peer Reviewed Study
Record ID: 2250
Abstract: Activated Cry1Ab toxin was measured in the pollen of maize of MON 810 genetic event using two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). Commercial 96-well microplate ELISAs, EnviroLogix Cry1Ab/Cry1Ac QuantiPlate® and Abraxis Bt-Cry1Ab/Ac ELISA were applied and optimized for pollen. Due to its high protein and starch quantity, pollen was found to be a difficult biological matrix, reflected in low but reproducible recoveries in sample preparation: 51-55% and 48-49% in spiked pollen relative to spiked pollen extract and buffer, respectively. To assess the role of extraction conditions on the digestibility of pollen grains as solid and hardly destructible particles, the efficacy of various protocols were compared. Concentration of activated Cry1Ab in pollen was calculated with Cry1Ab activated toxin/protoxin cross-reactivities in ELISA, 41% and 56%, for the EnviroLogix and Abraxis kits, respectively. Purity of the pollen fraction is an essential factor: in one batch of DK-440 BTY pollen, toxin content was 108±7 ng Cry1Ab/g dry pollen, while the corresponding level was over 100-fold higher (13030±1690 ng Cry1Ab/g dry weight) in the pollen sack. Considerable variability was found in Cry1Ab production in two, apparently different DK-440 BTY cultivar phenotypes with 100-150 and 4-18 ng Cry1Ab/g dry pollen. Cry1Ab content in pollen was severely affected by weather conditions: drought before tasseling might lead to increased Cry1Ab level in pollen, but reduced pollen production.
Keywords: Cry1Ab, MON 810, Pollen, Toxin
Citation: Székács, A., Takács, E., Juracsek, J., Lauber, E. and Darvas, B., 2010. Determination of Cry1Ab toxin content of MON 810 maize pollen by enzyme-immunoassay. Programme and Book of Abstracts of IXth European Congress of Entomology, pp. 200.
