Do genetically modified plants impact arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi?

Journal or Publishing Institution: Ecotoxicology

Study: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10646-009-0423-1

Author(s): Liu, W.

Article Type: Journal Publication

Record ID: 1437

Abstract: The development and use of genetically modified plants (GMPs), as well as their ecological risks have been a topic of considerable public debate since they were first released in 1996. To date, no consistent conclusions have been drawn dealing with ecological risks on soil microorganisms of GMPs for the present incompatible empirical data. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), important in regulating aboveground and underground processes in ecosystems, are the most crucial soil microbial community worthy of being monitored in ecological risks assessment of GMPs for their sensitivity to environmental alterations (plant, soil, climatic factor etc.). Based on current data, we suggest that there is a temporal–spatial relevance between expression and rhizosphere secretion of anti-disease and insecticidal proteins (e.g., Bt-Bacillus thuringiensistoxins) in and outer roots, and AMF intraradical and extraradical growth and development. Therefore, taking Bt transgenic plants (BTPs) for example, Bt insecticidal proteins constitutive expression and rhizosphere release during cultivation of BTPs may damage some critical steps of the AMF symbiotic development. More important, these processes of BTPs coincide with the entire life cycle of AMF annually, which may impact the diversity of AMF after long-term cultivation period. It is proposed that interactions between GMPs and AMF should be preferentially studied as an indicator for ecological impacts of GMPs on soil microbial communities. In this review, advances in impacts of GMPs on AMF and the effect mechanisms were summarized, highlighting the possible ecological implications of interactions between GMPs and AMF in soil ecosystems.

Keywords: Genetically modified plants (GMPs), Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), Bt transgenic plants (BTPs), Ecological risks; Bacillus thuringiensis, plants, arbuscular mycorrhizas, bacterial proteins, bracterial toxins, biological control agents, endomycorrhizas, environmental impact, genetic transformation, genetically engineered organisms, growth, life cycle, microbial ecology, mycrorrhizal fungi, mycorrhizas, natural enemies, reviews, rhizosphere, roots, soil flora, soil fungi, spatial variation, temporal variation, transgenic plants; bacterium, biocontrol agents, biological control organisms, environmental effects, genetically engineered plants, genetically modified organisms, genetically modified plants, GEOs, GMOs, transgenic organisms, vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizas; Climatic factors, ecosystems, gene expression, growth and development, insecticidal proteins, risk, risk assessment, secretion, soil, toxins, transgenic plants; Bacterial Proteins, Climate, Ecosystem, Endotoxins, Plant Gene Expression Regulation, Hemolysin Proteins, Insecticides, Mycorrhizae, Plant Roots, Genetically Modified Plants, Rhizophoraceae, Soil Microbiology, Species Specificity, Time Factors, Insecticidal Crystal Protein; Pharmacology, Toxicity, Drug Effects, Growth & Development, Microbiology, Genetics

Citation: Liu, W., 2010. Do genetically modified plants impact arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi? Ecotoxicology, 19(2), pp.229-238.