IMA-GMO

The current research project aims at better evaluating the consequences of the growth of GM plants on the associated microflora, bacteria and plant viruses, the transgenic DNA being considered as a potential contaminating agent of the ecosystems. A major interest of the project is to propose investigations on model transgenes (e.g. nptII antibiotic resistance genes) as well as transgenes of agronomical interest (e.g. "Bt", tolerance to grapevine fanleaf virus, resistance to maceration pathogens), on annual (corn) and perennial crops (grapevine) in open-field conditions (GM grapevine field experiment, by partner 1). The IMAGENE project will take advantage of recent advances in the field of high throughput sequencing processes to analyze the potential impact of GM plant growth either via perturbation of exudation or via possible transgene transfer events (horizontal gene transfer) to microbial populations (including virus) and recombination. IMAGENE involves investigations on the structure of microbial populations associated with GM plants irrespectively of the cultivability of these microbes (via metagenomic approaches). The project is also articulated with another metagenomic project targeting microbial populations in soils «Park-Grass/Rothamsted», developed at the Rothamsted research station (UK; project METASOIL), coordinated by partner 4. Two out of the four contracting teams (partners 2 and 4) are internationally acknowledged for their work on the impact of GM plants on the associated microflora. They have published over the last 10 years several reference papers in this field. This project is a continuation and an amplification of previous studies performed during EU 4th and 5th framework programs (Transvir program), and previous ANR programs (namely Ploben, Septante and ANR-POGM-008 programs). Partner 1 is without any doubt a leading group in the field of grapevine genetic transformation and resistance to grapevine fanleaf disease as well as on molecular plant virology and viral deep sequencing. Partner 3 is well known for his on-going work on the rhizospheric microflora, especially in the Arabidopsis thaliana rhizosphere. He benefits also from the support of bio-computing experts, the presence of whom is of major importance to the success of this project. Partner 4 will centralize the bio-computing analyzes of the Consortium, due to involvement of skilled bio-informaticians of his team and to the access of the Super-calculator of the computing facilities of Ecole Centrale de Lyon. IMAGENE and the contracting teams fall very exactly within the scope of the "axes thématiques 1 and 2" of CESA, for the analyzes of potential horizontal gene transfer from GM plants and the modifications toward the associated microflora, soil bacteria and Grapevine fanleaf virus. This project has been initiated and discussed through a participative technology assessment approach developped within the Local Monitoring Commitee of the GMO field experiment of Partner 1.