Evaluation of terrestrial microcosms for detection, fate, and survival analysis of genetically engineered microorganisms and their recombinant genetic material

Technical Report · Wed Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1989

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6409872· OSTI ID:6409872

Fredrickson, J K; Seidler, R J

The research included in this document represents the current scientific information available regarding the applicability of terrestrial microcosms and related methodologies for evaluating detection methods and the fate and survival of microorganisms in the environment. The three terrestrial microcosms described in this document were used to evaluate the survival and fate of recombinant bacteria in soils and in association with plant surfaces and insects and their transport through soil with percolating water and root systems, and to test new methods and procedures to improve detection and enumeration of bacteria in soil. Simple (potting soil composed of peat mix and perlite, lacking environmental control and monitoring) and complex microcosms (agricultural soil with partial control and monitoring of environmental conditions) were demonstrated to be useful tools for preliminary assessments of microbial viability in terrestrial ecosystems. These studies evaluated the survival patterns of Enterobacter cloacae (pBR322) in soil and on plant surfaces and the ingestion of this same microorganism by cutworms and survival in the foregut and frass. The Versacore microcosm design was used to monitor the fate and competitiveness of genetically engineered bacteria in soil. Both selective media and gene probes were used successfully to follow the fate of two recombinant Pseudomonas sp. introduced into Versacore microcosms. Intact soil-core microcosms were employed to evaluate the fate and transport of genetically altered Azospirillum sp. and Pseudomonas sp. in soil and the plant rhizosphere. The usefulness of these various microcosms as a tool for risk assessment is underscored by the ease in obtaining soil from a proposed field release site to evaluate subsequent GEM fate and survival.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 6409872
• Report Number(s): PNL-6828; ON: DE89008479
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550200* -- Biochemistry
550400 -- Genetics
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ABSTRACTS
BACTERIA
BIOTECHNOLOGY
DETECTION
DNA
DNA HYBRIDIZATION
DOCUMENT TYPES
ECOSYSTEMS
EVALUATION
GENETIC ENGINEERING
HYBRIDIZATION
LEADING ABSTRACT
MICROCOSMS
MICROORGANISMS
MORTALITY
NUCLEIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PSEUDOMONAS
RECOMBINANT DNA
SOILS
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS