Impact of Insect-Resistant Transgenic Maize 2A-7 on Diversity and Dynamics of Bacterial Communities in Rhizosphere Soil
Xiaohui Xu,
Xin Liu,
Fan Li,
Chaofeng Hao,
Hongwei Sun,
Shuke Yang,
Yue Jiao,
Xingbo Lu
Affiliations
Xiaohui Xu
Shandong Key Laboratory of Plant Virology, Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
Xin Liu
Shandong Key Laboratory of Plant Virology, Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
Fan Li
Shandong Key Laboratory of Plant Virology, Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
Chaofeng Hao
Shandong Key Laboratory of Plant Virology, Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
Hongwei Sun
Shandong Key Laboratory of Plant Virology, Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
Shuke Yang
Shandong Key Laboratory of Plant Virology, Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
Yue Jiao
Key Laboratory for Safety Assessment (Environment) of Agricultural Genetically Modified Organisms, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Jinan 250100, China
Xingbo Lu
Shandong Key Laboratory of Plant Virology, Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
Artificial modification of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) proteins can effectively improve their resistance to target pests, but the effect of such modification on the diversity of rhizosphere microorganisms remains unclear. Transgenic maize 2A-7 contains two artificially modified Bt proteins, mCry1Ab and mCry2Ab. These proteins can enter soil and pose a potential threat to soil microbial diversity. To assess their impacts on rhizosphere bacteria communities, the contents of the two Bt proteins and changes in bacterial community diversity in the rhizosphere soils of transgenic maize 2A-7 and its control variety were analyzed at different growth stages in 2020. The results showed that the two Bt proteins were detected at low levels in the rhizosphere soils of 2A-7 plants. No significant differences in soil bacterial diversity were detected between 2A-7 and its control variety at any of the growth stages. Bioinformatics analysis indicated that the growth stage, rather than the cultivar, was the main factor causing changes in bacterial communities. This research provides valuable data for understanding the impact of Bt crops on the soil microbiome, and establishes a theoretical basis for evaluation of their safety.
