Source: DUKE UNIVERSITY submitted to
PREDICTING GENE FLOW FROM TRANSGENIC PINE POLLEN
 
PROJECT DIRECTOR: Williams, C. G. Linder, K. Katul, G. G.
 
PERFORMING ORGANIZATION
(N/A)
DUKE UNIVERSITY
DURHAM,NC 27708
 
NON TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Transgenic Loblolly pine is being field-tested in the southeastern US. Gene flow is more extensive in trees than in crops but several important variables about the extent of gene flow are not yet known. Before releasing transgenic pines on a commercial scale, we are researching how much transgenic pollen is released, how long it remains viable and where viable pollen goes
 
OBJECTIVES: 1) To determine if transgene is transmitted in 50:50 ratio in pollen 2) To determine how long pollen remains viable under atmospheric UV 3) To determine direction of pollen flow 4) To match pollen flow to landownership, forest species composition
 
APPROACH: LAND-GENE is a combination of experimental data, computer simulations aligned with a national forest ecosystem database. We use molecular biology, UV assays and fluid dynamics models along with available databases on land ownership and forest species composition.
 
CRIS NUMBER: 0208843 SUBFILE: CRIS
PROJECT NUMBER: NCR-2005-03804 SPONSOR AGENCY: CSREES
PROJECT TYPE: OTHER GRANTS PROJECT STATUS: NEW MULTI-STATE PROJECT NUMBER: (N/A)
START DATE: Sep 1, 2005 TERMINATION DATE: Aug 31, 2008

GRANT PROGRAM: BIOTECHNOLOGY RISK ASSESSMENT PROJECT (BRAP)
GRANT PROGRAM AREA: Reimbursables

CLASSIFICATION
Knowledge Area (KA)Subject (S)Science (F)Objective (G)Percent
123061110406.350%
123061120806.350%

CLASSIFICATION HEADINGS
KA123 - Management and Sustainability of Forest Resources
S0611 - Conifer forests of the South
F2080 - Mathematics and computer sciences
F1040 - Molecular biology
G6.3 - Protect and Manage Forests and Rangelands


RESEARCH EFFORT CATEGORIES
BASIC 70%
APPLIED 30%
DEVELOPMENTAL (N/A)%

KEYWORDS: genetically engineering forests, gene flow, meiosis, transgenes

PROGRESS: Sep 1, 2005 TO Sep 1, 2006
USDA-Biotechnology Risk Assessment Program No. 2005-39454-16457 PI: Claire Williams FIRST-YEAR REPORT from 9/30/2005 to 09/30/2006 Our Spring 2006 efforts were designed to reconcile methods for gathering experimental and theoretical information about viable GM pollen movement on three transport scales: micro-, meso- and macro-transport, as follows: First, we worked at the Duke Forest collecting data on Pinus taeda pollen concentration and viability (micro-transport). Above the pine plantation canopy we found viable uplifted pollen in predicted concentrations which supports our biosafety model based on exceedance probabilities (see Williams and Katul in preparation). Second, we have tested Pinus taeda pollen viability under a series of atmospheric conditions akin to the dates for peak pollen shed at the Duke Forest. Contrary to our hypotheses stated in the grant proposal, Pinus taeda remains viable under extreme conditions: cold, heat, moisture and even UV-B. This was corroborated by solar exposures outdoors, using methods akin to Aylor for maize pollen. No similarity exists between maize and pine pollen for any environmental variability. Freshly released pine pollen is more difficult to kill than the existing literature suggests and its viability persists beyond 24 hours (see Bohrerova et al. in preparation). Third, we measured pollen concentration and viability on a meso-scale using the unique geography of southeastern North Carolina. Measurements were taken on ground before and during peak pollen shed at the Croatan National Forests. These were compared against pollen captured at 500 to 1000 m above the earth's surface prior to local pollen shed. We ran the RAMS model (a meteorological model developed by Roni Avissar and his student, Gil Bohrer) to predict where pine pollen was released, transported and moved within our space-time GPS points. As predicted, pollen was present at these GPS coordinates above the earth's surface. We are completing this effort using a novel method to pinpoint geographic origins of this far-field pollen. Fourth, we measured viability of Pinus pollen captured at 50 km in the Atlantic Ocean using a ship at the Duke Marine Lab, RV Cape Hatteras (NSF-funded). Many pollen grains were captured but only one or two were viable. Collection methods may have interfered with this sampling at macro-transport distances. Fifth, we are now developing a DNA-based method for distinguishing Pinus taeda pollen from its close relatives which also disperse pollen in a similar timeframe. This method is outside the scope of our award but needed for planned 2007 spring pollen capture experiments. Similarly, we are also tracing gene flow consequences of GM escape beyond dispersal. This requires some molecular marker detection for assigning paternity, contributing to methods which discern DNA segments contributed by the GM parent and looking at how pines selectively eliminate their own offspring using molecular cues via the embryo lethal system.

IMPACT: 2005-09-01 TO 2006-09-01 By reconciling experimental and theoretical data for viable Pinus taeda pollen, we expect to have an impact on whether biosafety protocols available today for GM pine plantations will be effective and whether compliance is feasible.

PUBLICATION INFORMATION: 2005-09-01 TO 2006-09-01
Williams, C.G. and M.H. Reyes-Valdes. 2007. Estimating a founder genomic proportion for each descendant in an outbred pedigree. Genome (accepted).

PROJECT CONTACT INFORMATION
NAME: Williams, C. G.
PHONE: 919-672-7050
FAX: 919-660-7923