Kyu Hwan Chung

Comparisons of nutritional and phytochemical property of genetically modified CMV-resistant red pepper and its parental cultivar

The aim of this study was to compare the nutritional composition of a genetically modified (GM) CMV-resistant red pepper strain with its parental line. Specifically, the nutrient content (moisture, protein, lipid, ash, carbohydrate, and energy), minerals, fatty acid composition, capsaicinoids (capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin), free sugars (glucose, sucrose, and fructose), vitamin E isomers (α-, β-, γ-, and δ-tocopherols), vitamin C, phytosterols (campesterol, stigmasterol, and β-sitosterol), squalene contents, and ASTA values were analyzed and compared. Most of the analyzed compounds showed no significant differences between the GM red peppers and the parental line. The only significant difference was observed in stigmasterol content, but the difference was below the 15% natural-fluctuation threshold. These results suggest that the CMV-GM pepper is equivalent to its parental line in terms of nutritional and phytochemical composition.

Analysis of agricultural characteristics to establish the evaluation protocol and environmental risk assessment for genetically modified hot pepper crops

This study was carried out to deduce an appropriate analysis method to evaluate the homogeneity of the agricultural characteristics of genetically modified (GM) crops for environmental risk assessment. Comparative analyses were made between GM hot pepper lines and their control lines cultivated in the same year, between different GM peppers carrying the same gene but in different chromosomal loci, between the same GM peppers cultivated in different years and two different GM peppers carrying different genes from three GM peppers (B20, H15, and T20) and their control lines (P915, P2377, and THK). The aim was to determine the most appropriate comparison combination to establish the evaluating protocol and environmental risk assessment. Data of 57 different characteristics of pepper plants, green fruits and red fruits was collected during the optimal vegetation period. Of the 57 different characteristics, 24 characteristics were excluded as there was no difference and the remaining 33 characteristics were analyzed by t-test. There were statistical differences in five characteristics between the B20 and P915 lines, five characteristics between the H15 and P2377 lines and two characteristics between the T20 and THK lines cultivated either in 2008 or in 2011. On the other hand, there were significant differences in 11 characteristics between the B20 and H15 lines cultivated in 2008 and 14 characteristics between the H15 and T20 harvested in 2011. Comparative analysis of 33 agricultural characteristics between the H15 line cultivated in 2008 and 2011 showed the most significant differences. Based on this result, the comparison between the same GM lines cultivated in different years was judged meaningless when the homogeneity of agricultural characteristics of GM crops were evaluated. In conclusion, the comparative analysis between GM peppers and their control lines cultivated in the same year is the most appropriate while the homogeneity of agricultural characteristics is examined to assess environmental risk of GM peppers.

Pollen allergic risk assessment of genetically modified virus resistant pepper and functional Chinese cabbage

Pollen of genetically modified (GM) pepper containing the gene for cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) coat protein (CP) and GM Chinese cabbage with high phenylethylisothiocyanate (PEITC) content was investigated for assessment of allergic risk. Amino acid (AA) sequences of the inserted gene products of GM virus resistant pepper and GM Chinese cabbage with high PEITC content were compared with those of known allergens. No known allergen greater than 35% AA sequence homology, over 80 AA window or more than 8 consecutive identical AA was found. Protein patterns of GM/non-GM pepper and Chinese cabbage pollen extracts in SDS-PAGE analysis showed the same distribution of protein bands among the GM and non-GM pepper or Chinese cabbage, respectively. Sera from pollen allergic patients showed some IgE reactivity via immunoblotting and ELISA; however, no differences were observed between the pollen of GM and non-GM pepper or Chinese cabbage, respectively. Based on these results, we conclude that pollens of the virus resistant GM pepper and GM Chinese cabbage with high PEITC have no differences in their protein composition or allergenicity relative to non-GM pepper and Chinese cabbage.