正向选择的生物安全标记基因

标记基因的产生方便了植物的转化,随着转基因植物的迅速发展及商品化,人类更关注抗性标记基因的安全性。目前解决的有效途径是发展正向选择系统,使用非抗性的生物安全标记基因,主要包括糖类代谢酶基因（pmi和xylA）、干扰氨基酸代谢酶基因（ak和dapA）、绿色荧光蛋白基因（gfp）、β-葡萄糖苷酸酶基因（gus）、核糖醇操纵子（rtl）和叶绿素生物合成基因（hemL）等。     

安全标记基因在转基因植物中的应用

转基因植物的抗性标记一直是转基因生物安全性争论的焦点,是限制转基因植物应用的瓶颈之一。筛选安全标记基因替代抗生素标记基因已成为解决转基因植物安全性和促进转基因植物应用的重要策略。综述了生物安全标记基因的产生背景、系统分类、筛选原理及不同起源的标记基因在植物基因工程中的应用和存在问题。选用植物内源标记基因已成为转基因植物安全标记基因研究的重要方向。     

转基因植物中标记基因研究概况

标记基因在植物基因工程中具有重要的作用。它在遗传转化中的关键作用是区分转化和非转化的细胞,以筛选并鉴定出转化的细胞、组织和转基因植株。目前,已报道的标记基因种类很多,划分标准也各不相同。出于对生态环境和转基因食品的生物安全性考虑,从传统的选择标记基因、与激素代谢相关的基因、与氨基酸代谢相关的基因、与糖类代谢相关的基因、能解除化合物毒性（或胁迫）的基因、编码能产生特定荧光物质的蛋白酶类的基因、利用颜色差异性筛选转化体的相关基因及抗性标记基因的敲除技术八个不同的方面,综述了标记基因的种类、作用原理、应用价值及存在的问题。在标记基因的综合应用方面,详细总结了标记基因与组织（或器官）特异性启动子和MAT载体系统的结合应用,以及P．葡萄糖苷酸酶作为多功能标记基因的综合应用。最后,对标记基因的发展前景进行了探讨分析。     

安全转基因植物培育技术研究进展

由于关系到转基因植物的产业化前景,安全型转基因植物培育越来越受到公众的关注。在植物遗传转化体系中,绝大多数选择标记基因来源于细菌,对人类健康和环境安全存在潜在风险,因此无选择标记转基因植物培育受到科研工作者的高度重视。本文综述了安全型转基因植物的培育途径,包括共转化系统、位点特异性重组系统、转座子系统、同源重组系统、不依赖于组织培养的简易转化技术及再生相关基因利用等技术,探讨了各种途径的优缺点,以期推动安全型转基因植物培育和转基因植物产业化进程。     

安全型转基因植物培育技术研究进展

由于关系到转基因植物的产业化前景,安全型转基因植物培育越来越受到公众的关注。在植物遗传转化体系中,绝大多数选择标记基因来源于细菌,对人类健康和环境安全存在潜在风险,因此无选择标记转基因植物培育受到科研工作者的高度重视。本文综述了安全型转基因植物的培育途径,包括共转化系统、位点特异性重组系统、转座子系统、同源重组系统、不依赖于组织培养的简易转化技术及再生相关基因利用等技术,探讨了各种途径的优缺点,以期推动安全型转基因植物培育和转基因植物产业化进程。     

无选择标记基因植物转化系统研究进展

在转基因植物中,将选择标记基因去掉,将提高转基因植物的食用安全性和对环境的安全性,更易为广大消费者所接受,也有利于对同一个植物品种进行多次转基因操作。科学工作者已经在建立无选择标记基因转化系统方面作了大量尝试,获得了无标记基因的转基因植物（MFTPs：Marker-Free Transgenic Plants)。本文将这方面的研究进展介绍给大家,以推动植物生物技术产业化进程。     

转基因植物中标记基因的安全性新策略

转基因植物中的除草剂和抗生素抗性标记基因潜在的生态环境和食用安全性令人担忧。解决转基因植物中抗性标记基因安全性问题有两种途径：一是转化时仍使用抗性标记基因,转基因植物再生成功后,在释放大田前将标记基因剔除;二是发展安全性标记基因用于植物遗传转化。本文综述了三种标记基因剔除系统和几种安全性标记基因在植物转化中的应用进展。     

转基因植物中标记基因的消除

随着转基因植物的商业化,植物遗传转化技术将为农业生产带来一场新的革命,新的基因转化程序要求转基因为单拷贝,不带有标记基因,并在不同的转化体中表达一致,稳定遗传,本文讨论了转基因植物中有关标记基因及其安全性和标记基因消除的方法等问题。     

无选择标记基因植物转化系统研究进展

在转基因植物中,将选择标记基因去掉,将提高转基因植物的食用安全性和对环境的安全性,更易为广大消费者所接受,也有利于对同一个植物品种进行多次转基因操作。科学工作者已经在建立无选择标记基因转化系统方面作了大量尝试,获得了无标记基因的转基因植物(MFTPs:MarkerFreeTransgenicPlants)。本文将这方面的研究进展介绍给大家,以推动植物生物技术产业化进程。     

无选择标记转基因植物的培育

植物转基因研究中通常都要使用选择标记基因来筛选转化细胞并获得转基因植株。但是当转基因植株育成后,选择标记基因就失去了存在的意义。为了消除由选择标记基因引起的安全性隐患,人们发展了一些培育无选择标记转基因植物的策略。这些策略主要包括共转化、位点特异性重组和转座子转座等。去除选择标记基因将促进公众对转基因作物的接受。评述了无选择标记转基因植物的研究进展。     

转基因植物中的标记基因研究新进展

文章综述了转基因植物中标记基因研究的新进展,主要包括以下3个方面：第一是采用共转化、位点特异性重组和转座子等技术对传统抗性标记基因进行消除,以利于对同一作物进行多次转基因操作;第二是完善各种已应用的以糖类代谢酶基因、耐胁迫酶类基因和绿色荧光蛋白基因等为安全标记基因的转化体系,并大力研究、开发潜在的汞离子还原酶基因、叶绿体合成关键酶基因等作为安全标记基因;第三是着力发展无标记基因、无载体骨架的简单高效转化体系。此外,还展望了安全标记的应用前景。     

培育无选择标记的转基因植物

目前,几乎所有的植物遗传转化都要通过使用选择标记基因,如抗生素或除草剂抗性基因等来筛选转化子,虽然没有研究结果表明选择标记基因影响人类健康或环境安全,但近年来也引发了人们对转基因产品安全性的担心。为了消除公众对转基因食品的安全性顾虑,无选择标记的转基因植物应运而生。本文综述了共转化系统、位点特异性重组系统(包括FLP/FRT、Cre/lox、R/RS及Gin/gix系统)和转座子系统(Ac/Ds转座子系统)在培育无选择标记转基因植物中的应用。     

可视安全标记花青素合成途径相关基因在植物转化研究中的应用进展

近年来有关转基因产品可能带来的环境和食品安全问题的争论多集中在作为标记基因的抗生素抗性基因以及抗除草剂基因的广泛使用。因此寻找安全、有效的标记基因替代上述有争议标记基因就显得十分必要和紧迫。花青素合成酶类及其合成调控因子可以控制植物体内的色素合成,一些转化研究已证明其转化体表型发生了颜色改变。加之花青素类物质是一些天然色素,对人类有利而无害,可以利用花青素的这些特点,将花青素合成酶类及其调控因子基因作为一类可视化、安全和有效的标记基因来转化植物。本文就可视安全标记花青素合成酶类基因及其调控基因在植物转化研究中的应用进展进行了简要介绍,以期为提高标记基因的安全性提供参考。     

Marker Gene Controversy in Transgenic Plants

Biosafety implications of selectable marker genes that are integrated into the transgenic plants are discussed. In the laboratory, selectable marker genes are used at two stages to distinguish transformed cells out of a large population of nontransformed cells: 1) initial assembly of gene cassettes is generally done in E. coli on easily manipulatable plasmid vectors that contain the selectable marker genes which often code for antibiotic inactivating enzymes, and 2) Then the gene cassettes are inserted into the plant genome by various transformation methods. For selection of transformed plant cells, antibiotic and herbicide resistance genes are widely used. Consequently, transgenic plants can end up with DNA sequences of selectable markers that are functional in E. coli and plants. The potential for horizontal gene transfer of selectable markers from transgenic plants to other organisms both in the environment and in the intestine of humans and animals is evaluated. Mechanisms and consequences of the transfer of marker genes from plants to other organisms is examined. Strategies to avoid marker genes in plants are discussed. It is possible to avoid the use of controversial selectable markers in the construction of transgenic plants.     

无标记(Marker-Free):转基因植物研究的新趋势

目前,几乎所有的植物遗传转化中都要使用选择性标记基因诸如抗生素或除草剂抗性基因等来筛选转化子.为了消除由此而引起的公众的安全性顾虑,一种全新的发展策略即获取无选择标记的转基因植物应运而生.无选择标记的转基因植物具有许多独特的优势,如消除大众对转基因植物中含有选择标记基因而引起的恐惧及可以反复地向已转化的植物中叠加外源基因等,因此,这种新策略(无标记)有着巨大的应用潜力.本文对获得无标记转基因植物的一些途径做一综述.     

无标记（Marker—Free）：转基因植物研究的新趋势

目前 ,几乎所有的植物遗传转化中都要使用选择性标记基因诸如抗生素或除草剂抗性基因等来筛选转化子。为了消除由此而引起的公众的安全性顾虑 ,一种全新的发展策略即获取无选择标记的转基因植物应运而生。无选择标记的转基因植物具有许多独特的优势 ,如消除大众对转基因植物中含有选择标记基因而引起的恐惧及可以反复地向已转化的植物中叠加外源基因等 ,因此 ,这种新策略 (无标记 )有着巨大的应用潜力。本文对获得无标记转基因植物的一些途径做一综述。     

Biosafety and risk assessment framework for selectable marker genes in transgenic crop plants: a case of the science not supporting the politics

Selectable marker gene systems are vital for the development of transgenic crops. Since the creation of the first transgenic plants in the early 1980s and their subsequent commercialization worldwide over almost an entire decade, antibiotic and herbicide resistance selectable marker gene systems have been an integral feature of plant genetic modification. Without them, creating transgenic crops is not feasible on purely economic and practical terms. These systems allow the relatively straightforward identification and selection of plants that have stably incorporated not only the marker genes but also genes of interest, for example herbicide tolerance and pest resistance. Bacterial antibiotic resistance genes are also crucial in molecular biology manipulations in the laboratory. An unprecedented debate has accompanied the development and commercialization of transgenic crops. Divergent policies and their implementation in the European Union on one hand and the rest of the world on the other (industrialized and developing countries alike), have resulted in disputes with serious consequences on agricultural policy, world trade and food security. A lot of research effort has been directed towards the development of marker-free transformation or systems to remove selectable markers. Such research has been in a large part motivated by perceived problems with antibiotic resistance selectable markers; however, it is not justified from a safety point of view. The aim of this review is to discuss in some detail the currently available scientific evidence that overwhelmingly argues for the safety of these marker gene systems. Our conclusion, supported by numerous studies, most of which are commissioned by some of the very parties that have taken a position against the use of antibiotic selectable marker gene systems, is that there is no scientific basis to argue against the use and presence of selectable marker genes as a class in transgenic plants.     

Selectable marker genes in transgenic plants: applications, alternatives and biosafety

Approximately fifty marker genes used for transgenic and transplastomic plant research or crop development have been assessed for efficiency, biosafety, scientific applications and commercialization. Selectable marker genes can be divided into several categories depending on whether they confer positive or negative selection and whether selection is conditional or non-conditional on the presence of external substrates. Positive selectable marker genes are defined as those that promote the growth of transformed tissue whereas negative selectable marker genes result in the death of the transformed tissue. The positive selectable marker genes that are conditional on the use of toxic agents, such as antibiotics, herbicides or drugs were the first to be developed and exploited. More recent developments include positive selectable marker genes that are conditional on non-toxic agents that may be substrates for growth or that induce growth and differentiation of the transformed tissues. Newer strategies include positive selectable marker genes which are not conditional on external substrates but which alter the physiological processes that govern plant development. A valuable companion to the selectable marker genes are the reporter genes, which do not provide a cell with a selective advantage, but which can be used to monitor transgenic events and manually separate transgenic material from non-transformed material. They fall into two categories depending on whether they are conditional or non-conditional on the presence of external substrates. Some reporter genes can be adapted to function as selectable marker genes through the development of novel substrates. Despite the large number of marker genes that exist for plants, only a few marker genes are used for most plant research and crop development. As the production of transgenic plants is labor intensive, expensive and difficult for most species, practical issues govern the choice of selectable marker genes that are used. Many of the genes have specific limitations or have not been sufficiently tested to merit their widespread use. For research, a variety of selection systems are essential as no single selectable marker gene was found to be sufficient for all circumstances. Although, no adverse biosafety effects have been reported for the marker genes that have been adopted for widespread use, biosafety concerns should help direct which markers will be chosen for future crop development. Common sense dictates that marker genes conferring resistance to significant therapeutic antibiotics should not be used. An area of research that is growing rapidly but is still in its infancy is the development of strategies for eliminating selectable marker genes to generate marker-free plants. Among the several technologies described, two have emerged with significant potential. The simplest is the co-transformation of genes of interest with selectable marker genes followed by the segregation of the separate genes through conventional genetics. The more complicated strategy is the use of site-specific recombinases, under the control of inducible promoters, to excise the marker genes and excision machinery from the transgenic plant after selection has been achieved. In this review each of the genes and processes will be examined to assess the alternatives that exist for producing transgenic plants.     

Strategies for developing marker-free transgenic plants

The development of marker-free transgenic plants has responded to public concerns over the safety of biotechnology crops. It seems that continued work in this area will soon remove the question of unwanted marker genes from the debate concerning the public acceptability of transgenic crop plants. Selectable marker genes are co-introduced with genes of interest to identify those cells that have integrated the DNA into their genome. Despite the large number of different selection systems, marker genes that confer resistance to the antibiotics, hygromycin (hpt) and kanamycin (nptII) or herbicide phosphinothricin (bar), have been used in most transgenic research and crop development techniques. The techniques that remove marker gene are under development and will eventually facilitate more precise and subtle engineering of the plant genome, with widespread applications in both fundamental research and biotechnology. In addition to allaying public concerns, the absence of resistance genes in transgenic plants could reduce the costs of developing biotechnology crops and lessen the need for time-consuming safety evaluations, thereby speeding up the commercial production of biotechnology crops. Many research results and various techniques have been developed to produce marker-free transgenic plants. This review describes the strategies for eliminating selectable marker genes to generate marker-free transgenic plants, focusing on the three significant marker-free technologies, co-transformation, site-specific recombinase-mediated excision, and non-selected transformation.