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| Tags | 1 Synthetic Biology |
For centuries, microorganisms have served mankind in many ways. Relatively recent developments include the use of bacterial inoculants for bioremediation and agricultural purposes like biological control of plant diseases. Whereas agricultural applications of bacteria have been successful to some extent, improvement of their efficacy is necessary for commercial applications on a large scale. For instance, the remediation of mixed organic and metal-contaminated sites poses problems that may be overcome by introducing metal resistance in the bacteria used for bioremediation. For biological control of plant diseases the efficacy can be improved by combining several mechanisms of antagonism against pathogens in a biocontrol agent. Genetic modification now enables us to construct microbial strains with such novel and enhanced properties. Large-scale introduction of genetically modified strains into the environment poses some challenging questions.
This chapter provides an overview of studies concerning the application of bacteria and their genetically modified derivatives, with the emphasis on their fate and effects on the ecosystem. We limited this chapter to genetically modified microorganisms (GMMs) for agricultural applications, as biosensors, and for bioremediation purposes. Proliferation and survival of the introduced strains in the environment are discussed, but we have mainly focused on recent studies concerning the possible impact of GMMs on microbial communities and ecosystem functioning. Survival and colonization of GMMs is either equal or less when compared to that of the parental strain. The impact of bacterial inoculants (genetically modified or not) on microbial communities is either negligible or small as compared to effects of general agricultural practices and the effects are transient.
Effect of Genetically Modified Bacteria on Ecosystems and Their Potential Benefits for Bioremediation and Biocontrol of Plant Diseases – A Review (held on an external server, and so may require additional authentication details)
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