Record details

Living Modified Organism identity

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LMO name

Reduced Lignin Alfalfa

Transformation event

KK179

Unique identifier

MON-ØØ179-5

Developer(s)

Record #14925

Monsanto

800 North Lindbergh Blvd.

St. Louis, MO

United States of America, 63167

Phone:	+ 1 314 694-1000
Fax:	+1 314 694-3080
Url:	Monsanto

Description

Alfalfa KK179 was developed to have reduced levels of guaiacyl lignin (G), a major subunit component of total lignin, compared to conventional alfalfa at the same stage of growth.

This reduction in G lignin leads to reduced accumulation of total lignin in alfalfa through the suppression of caffeoyl CoA 3-O-methyltransferase (CCOMT), a key enzyme in the lignin biosynthetic pathway.

Recipient Organism or Parental Organisms

The term Recipient organism refers to an organism (either already modified or non-modified) that was subjected to genetic modification, whereas Parental organisms refers to those that were involved in cross breeding or cell fusion.

Record #12100

Medicago sativa - Alfalfa, Lucerne, MEDSV

Characteristics of the transformation process

Vector

PV-MSPQ12633

Techniques used for the modification

Agrobacterium-mediated DNA transfer

Genetic elements construct

Pal2 gene Promoter

#105595

0.00 Kb

Caffeoyl CoA 3-O-methyltransferase gene

#105596

0.52 Kb

Caffeoyl CoA 3-O-methyltransferase gene

#105596

0.30 Kb

Nopaline Synthase Gene Terminator

#100269

0.25 Kb

CaMV 35S promoter

#100287

0.32 Kb

Neomycin Phosphotransferase II

#15001

0.79 Kb

Nopaline Synthase Gene Terminator

#100269

0.25 Kb

Further details

Notes regarding the genetic elements introduced or modified in this LMO

The transformation cassette in KK179 consists of inverted repeat DNA segments of the CCOMT gene derived from alfalfa. The inverted repeat sequence produces double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) which suppresses endogenous CCOMT gene expression via the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway. Suppression of the CCOMT gene expression leads to lower CCOMT protein expression resulting in reduced synthesis of G lignin subunit.

The PV-MSPQ12633 vector contained two transformation cassettes. the first consisting of the CCOMT inverted repeat sequence and the other containing the nptII coding sequence.

Southern blot analysis showed that only a single copy of the CCOMT transformation cassette was transformed into the alfalfa genome. No plasmid vector backbone sequences are present in KK179 and no DNA sequences from the nptII transformation cassette were detected.

LMO characteristics

Modified traits

Changes in quality and/or metabolite content
- Lignin

Common use(s)

Feed

Additional Information

Other relevant website address or attached documents

MON-ØØ179-5 - APHIS

MON-ØØ179-5 - FDA

MON-ØØ179-5 - FSANZ

MON-ØØ179-5 - Japan BCH

MON-ØØ179-5 - ISAAA