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National Node of the BCH
Modified Organism
MON-ØØ531-6 - Bollgard™ cotton
Record information and status
Record ID
14775
Status
Published
Date of creation
2006-06-05 14:39 UTC (kirsty.mclean.consultant@cbd.int)
Date of last update
2017-07-17 14:42 UTC (dina.abdelhakim@cbd.int)
Date of publication
2017-07-17 14:42 UTC (dina.abdelhakim@cbd.int)

Living Modified Organism identity
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LMO name
Bollgard™ cotton
Transformation event
531
Unique identifier
MON-ØØ531-6
Developer(s)
Monsanto
800 North Lindbergh Blvd.
St. Louis, MO
United States of America, 63167
Phone:+ 1 314 694-1000
Fax:+1 314 694-3080
Url:Monsanto
Description
Cotton line MON531 was genetically engineered to resist cotton bollworm, tobacco budworm and pink bollworm by producing its own insecticide. This line was developed by introducing the cry1Ac gene, isolated from the common soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), into a cotton line by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation.
Recipient Organism or Parental Organisms
The term Recipient organism refers to an organism (either already modified or non-modified) that was subjected to genetic modification, whereas Parental organisms refers to those that were involved in cross breeding or cell fusion.
Gossypium hirsutum - Cotton
Related LMOs
MON-89924-2 - Bollgard™ cotton
Resistance to antibiotics - Kanamycin Resistance to diseases and pests - Insects - Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths)
MON-ØØ757-7 - Bollgard™ cotton
Resistance to antibiotics - Kanamycin Resistance to diseases and pests - Insects - Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths)
Characteristics of the transformation process
Vector
PV-GHBK04
Techniques used for the modification
  • Agrobacterium-mediated DNA transfer
Genetic elements construct
 
CaMV Enhanced 35S promoter
0.62 Kb
 
 
Cry1Ac
3.50 Kb
 
 
α' subunit of β-conglycinin gene terminator
0.63 Kb
 
 
CaMV 35S promoter
0.32 Kb
 
 
Neomycin Phosphotransferase II
0.79 Kb
 
 
Nopaline Synthase Gene Terminator
0.26 Kb
 
Further details
Notes regarding the genetic elements introduced or modified in this LMO
The Cry1Ac coding sequence was modified for plant optimised codons and resulted in a single amino acid change at L766S.

Southern blot analysis indicated that the LMO contains a single active copy and a partial inactive copy of the Cry1Ac gene both of which are linked.

The plasmid also contains the antibiotic resistance aad gene. This gene confers resistance to the antibiotics spectinomycin and streptomycin, and facilitated the selection of bacteria containing the plasmid in the initial steps of transforming the cotton tissue. The aad gene is under the control of a bacterial promoter. Studies using ELISA testing have indicated that there there is no detectable expression of the aad gene in the modified line.
LMO characteristics
Modified traits
Common use(s)
  • Industrial use
Additional Information
Additional Information
The cry1Ac gene produces the insect control protein Cry1Ac, a delta-endotoxin. The Cry1Ac protein produced in MON531 is almost identical to that found in nature and in commercial Bt spray formulations.

Cry proteins, of which Cry1Ac is only one, act by selectively binding to specific sites localized on the lining of the midgut of susceptible insect species. Following binding, pores are formed that disrupt midgut ion flow, causing gut paralysis and eventual death due to bacterial sepsis.

Cry1Ac is insecticidal only when eaten by the larvae of lepidopteran insects (moths and butterflies), and its specificity of action is directly attributable to the presence of specific binding sites in the target insects. There are no binding sites for delta-endotoxins of B. thuringiensis on the surface of mammalian intestinal cells, therefore, livestock animals and humans are not susceptible to these proteins.