{"id":477948,"date":"2023-06-06T19:37:23","date_gmt":"2023-06-06T22:37:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/?p=477948"},"modified":"2023-06-06T19:39:16","modified_gmt":"2023-06-06T22:39:16","slug":"company-develops-transgenic-moth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/company-develops-transgenic-moth\/","title":{"rendered":"Company develops transgenic moth"},"content":{"rendered":"

Brazilian farmers will soon be able to make use of a new tool to combat what is considered by agribusiness as maize farming\u2019s biggest pest. The company Oxitec do Brasil is preparing for the commercial launch of its genetically modified moth, which can be released in maize fields to combat the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda<\/em>). The insect is found in every maize-growing region of Brazil and can cause crop losses of up to 50%. In 2021, Oxitec\u2019s transgenic moth, called Spodoptera do Bem, was granted approval by Brazil\u2019s National Biosafety Commission (CTNBio), the office of the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MCTI) responsible for authorizing the release of genetically modified organisms in Brazil.<\/p>\n

\u201cSpodoptera do Bem is a safe and effective product\u201d, says geneticist Natalia Ferreira, executive director at Oxitec do Brasil. \u201cWe are in the phase of engaging farmers, talking to distributors, and continuing with trials on farms to understand how the product fits into the agricultural producer’s routine,\u201d she explains. The company says the product\u2019s commercial launch will take place within the next few years.<\/p>\n

Spodoptera do Bem is the commercial name of the genetically modified lineage OX5382G, developed by the original company in the UK and tested on two Brazilian farms, one in Mato Grosso and another in S\u00e3o Paulo. Oxitec was founded in 2002 as a spinoff from the University of Oxford and is now a subsidiary of the American company Third Security, based in Virginia.<\/p>\n

See more:<\/strong>
\n– Transgenic Aedes aegypti<\/em> mosquitoes hit the market<\/a><\/div>\n

Brazil is the first and only country in the world to release transgenic moths in the field. The genetically modified version of the fall armyworm carries two different genes that were introduced in the lab. One of these genes, known as tTAV, prevents the development of females so that only males hatch from the eggs of the next generation, drastically affecting the insect’s ability to reproduce.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the lab, we improved a gene that already exists in Spodoptera<\/em> and other insects and arachnids, inserting a promoter [a certain DNA sequence] that tells the cell to produce a lot of that gene,\u201d said Ferreira. \u201cIt’s like an overdose. Like if instead of producing organ cells, my entire body started producing only collagen,\u201d he says. \u201cThe result is that I would no longer produce blood, saliva, or anything needed to sustain my life; I would die due to a lack of these substances.\u201d<\/p>\n

The second inserted gene, DsRed2, is a marker derived from a species of marine coral that produces a fluorescent protein, helping to distinguish modified animals from wild insects.<\/p>\n

The technique for combating the pest consists of releasing genetically modified males into the field to breed with wild females. These pairings only produce male larvae, which after the pupal stage become moths carrying the self-limiting gene in their DNA that in the future will again prevent any female offspring from being born. Thus, within a few generations, the insect\u2019s population will significantly decrease, according to the company.<\/p>\n

The same technology is used in Aedes do Bem, sold by the company in Brazil since 2021 to reduce Aedes aegypti <\/em>mosquito populations. The objective is to reduce cases of dengue and other diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, such as Zika and Chikungunya.\u00a0The small group of transgenic animals approved for sale in Brazil by CTNBio includes the modified Spodoptera<\/em>, two versions of Aedes aegypti<\/em> created by Oxitec, and a salmon developed by Canadian company AquaBounty.<\/p>\n

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Eduardo Cesar\u2009\/\u2009Revista Pesquisa FAPESP<\/span>As well as maize, the moth feeds on some 50 other plant varietiesEduardo Cesar\u2009\/\u2009Revista Pesquisa FAPESP<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Maria L\u00facia Zaidan Dagli, a veterinarian from the Experimental and Comparative Oncology Laboratory at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics of the University of S\u00e3o Paulo (FMVZ-USP) and a member of CTNBio, sees the release of Spodoptera do Bem in Brazil as a positive move. She was involved in the decision to approve Oxitec\u2019s first version of Aedes aegypti<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Dagli explains that to be authorized for sale by CTNBio, a product must be approved by the agency\u2019s four sectors, which verify its impact on humans, animals, plants, and the environment, certifying that it is safe based on data and studies presented by the applicant company. After approval is granted, the product is monitored closely for five years, during which time the company has to submit annual reports to CTNBio.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is the same process that occurs with new drugs released by other regulatory agencies. If a problem is reported, depending on the severity, sale of the product may be suspended,\u201d underscores the researcher. She points out, however, that no CTNBio-approved product has ever been suspended.<\/p>\n

There are around 200 chemicals available on the market in Brazil to help farmers combat the fall armyworm, according to the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA). However, Spodoptera<\/em> has demonstrated resistance to conventional insecticides. And there is still concern about the unwanted effects these pesticides may have on the health of non-target organisms and the environment.<\/p>\n

In addition to insecticides, there are nine biological products registered in the country and another four soon to be launched. Transgenic maize that expresses proteins from the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis<\/em> (Bt) to kill larvae has also been used since the 2008\/2009 harvest. But the insects are already showing resistance to the modified crop.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we use insecticides or transgenic plants to control a pest, we end up involuntarily selecting individuals capable of surviving these technologies in the wild,\u201d explains Alberto Soares Corr\u00eaa, head of the Molecular Ecology of Arthropods Laboratory at USP\u2019s Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture (ESALQ). \u201cA single female Spodoptera frugiperda<\/em> can lay up to 1,500 eggs in its life cycle. It is an extremely complex species to deal with due to its polyphagy [ability to feed on different plant species] and dispersal capacity. Native to the Americas, it has recently become a cosmopolitan pest with reports that it has been detected in countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Oceania,\u201d says Corr\u00eaa.<\/p>\n

To delay the insect\u2019s resistance to transgenic maize, farmers are advised to reserve some land\u2014between 10% and 20% of the crop, although there is no consensus on the exact area\u2014for the cultivation of conventional, non-transgenic plants, known as a refuge. The idea is that the moths with resistance breed with those from the refuge that do not have the alleles (different forms of a given gene) that confer protection. \u201cThe problem is that farmers often do not bother planting a refuge area and as a result, the insects develop resistance faster,\u201d says the ESALQ researcher.<\/p>\n

According to Oxitec, their transgenic Spodoptera frugiperda<\/em> is a highly effective method of controlling resistance to Bt maize. \u201cSpodoptera do Bem has never seen insecticides, it has never seen Bt in its life, it is totally susceptible,\u201d explains Ferreira. \u201cWhen transgenic males on a farm mate with non-modified females, any male descendants inherit the part of the father’s genome that does not provide resistance. The effect of all insecticides, pesticides, and Bt maize is thus restored. This is a technology that will allow farmers to use less pesticide and to recover or extend the lifespan of biotechnological seeds.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Produtora S\u00e3o Paulo\u2009\/\u2009Oxitec<\/span>Oxitec employees in the field conducting a pilot study of Spodoptera do BemProdutora S\u00e3o Paulo\u2009\/\u2009Oxitec<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Corr\u00eaa explains that autocide\u2014when a genetically modified insect is used to control the population of a species through breeding\u2014is an old technique. \u201cThe classic example is the screw-worm fly [Cochliomyia hominivorax<\/em>], which was eradicated in the United States after millions of sterile insects were released from the 1950s onward,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

The important difference is that instead of transgenic versions, males rendered sterile by gamma-ray irradiation were released. It is hoped that the use of transgenic insects will overcome some of the previous method\u2019s weaknesses, at least initially. \u201cExposure to radiation can harm the insects in various ways, impacting their biological characteristics and behavior, which can make the strategy less successful. The idea is that with transgenic insects, individuals can better compete with wild males, mating with more females that do not have any offspring, reducing the population of the target species.\u201d<\/p>\n

Corr\u00eaa is reluctant to speculate on the risks and potential ecological consequences of releasing a transgenic insect into nature. \u201cThere are no scientific data available in the literature to answer the biggest questions. This has never been done before on a large scale,\u201d says the researcher. “In the case of Spodoptera frugiperda<\/em>, if CTNBio approved it, then they must believe it meets the minimum safety criteria for the technology to be applied.\u201d<\/p>\n

He notes that the same questions arose with transgenic plants. \u201cToday we know that they are extremely safe. So much so that their use has been expanded all over the world. With animals, however, there is a big difference in reproductive and biochemical issues and with regard to the genome structure. We cannot simply say: it worked with transgenic plants, so it will work with transgenic animals.\u201d<\/p>\n

Biologist Jos\u00e9 Maria Gusman Ferraz, a visiting researcher at the Laboratory of Ecological Engineering of the University of Campinas (UNICAMP), studied Spodoptera frugiperda<\/em> during his PhD. He sees the new technology as adding another string to the bow to help fight the pest, but has doubts about its efficiency, since adult fall armyworms can travel long distances and maize is generally planted in large open areas. \u201cThe history of this type of technology is that it only works well in isolated areas, like islands,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Ferraz would also like to see more data on possible damage to parasitoids (the moth’s natural enemies) and the risks of transgenic DNA remaining in the environment. \u201cNew technologies can work in a short time frame, but they can also have negative effects and then stop working,\u201d he points out. \u201cThe basic principle of life is diversity, and when we reduce that diversity, the system becomes fragile.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another advantage of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) over irradiated ones is practicality and cost, explains Margareth Capurro, a biochemist from USP’s Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICB) and technical coordinator of a study of transgenic Aedes <\/em>mosquitos carried out in Bahia. According to Capurro, 44 countries are preparing to release sterile males to control insect populations, although no others are using GMOs to do so.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor sterile males, all you need is to set up a biofactory and pay ongoing production costs; for transgenic insects, you need to pay the company that manufactures them. Transgenic versions, however, make life easier because they eliminate the need for equipment that costs between US$100,000 and US$200,000. How would you have an irradiator in every state in Brazil?\u201d she asks. “It\u2019s not feasible. The logistics of the sterilized male Aedes aegypti<\/em> mosquitos requires that they be produced near the irradiator and transported and released within 24 hours.\u201d<\/p>\n

One difference between the screw-worm fly eradicated from the USA last century and Spodoptera frugiperda<\/em> is that the former is monogamous\u2014females mate only once and with only one male. The latter can make breed multiple times. And unlike Aedes aegypti<\/em>, which is an exotic animal from the region of Egypt, the fall armyworm is native to the American continent. In addition to attacking maize, Spodoptera<\/em> also causes problems for other important crops such as cotton, soy, wheat, rice, and beans. It feeds on roughly 50 plant varieties from more than 20 botanical families, according to EMBRAPA data.<\/p>\n

To eradicate the insect, a public policy would be needed that would promote action across the national territory and even in neighboring countries of the American continent. \u201cBrazil is an enormous country with an extremely long land border. We have problems uniting government agencies, companies, and farmers to implement pest monitoring and control strategies,\u201d ponders Corr\u00eaa. \u201cEradicating the insect in Brazil would be practically impossible. I don’t think that is the company\u2019s objective.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scientific article<\/strong>
\nREAVEY, C. E. et al.<\/em> Self-limiting fall armyworm: A new approach in development for sustainable crop protection and resistance management<\/a>. BMC Biotechnology<\/strong>. jan. 27, 2022.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"New technology offers an alternative method to combat the biggest threat to maize crops","protected":false},"author":468,"featured_media":479463,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[169],"tags":[212,237],"coauthors":[778],"class_list":["post-477948","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","tag-biotechnology","tag-genetics"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/477948","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/468"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=477948"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/477948\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":481387,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/477948\/revisions\/481387"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/479463"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=477948"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=477948"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=477948"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=477948"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}