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Living Modified Organism (LMO)
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Decisions on the LMO Risk Assessments  
last updated: 29 Oct 2025
Living Modified Organism identity
The image below identifies the LMO through its unique identifier, trade name and a link to this page of the BCH. Click on it to download a larger image on your computer. For help on how to use it go to the LMO quick-links page.
Herbicide-tolerant sugar beet
EN
KWS20-1
Yes
KB-KWS2Ø1-6
The sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) was modified to confer tolerance to three herbicides: dicamba, glufosinate, and glyphosate. To confer tolerance to  2-methoxy-3,6-dichlorobenzoic acid (dicamba), the LM sugar beet expresses the Stenotrophomonas maltophilia dicamba mono-oxygenase, which degrades dicamba via oxygenation into non-herbicidal compounds. To achieve tolerance to glufosinate, the LM sugar beet expresses the phosphinothricin N-acetyltransferase from Streptomyces viridochromogenes, which inactivates the herbicidal compound through acetylation. To achieve tolerance to glyphosate, the LM sugar beet expressed the 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase from Agrobacterium sp. strain CP4, an enzyme insensitive to glyphosate inhibition. The bacterial enzyme does not bind the herbicide glyphosate with high affinity (unlike the endogenous 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase) and thus allows for the continued biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids through the shikimate pathway in the sugar beet during glyphosate applications. 
EN
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.
Sugar beet breeding line 04E05B1DH05
EN
Characteristics of the modification process
PV-BVHT527462
EN
  • Agrobacterium-mediated DNA transfer
Some of these genetic elements may be present as fragments or truncated forms. Please see notes below, where applicable.
  • BCH-GENE-SCBD-100365-6 Chloroplast transit peptide 2 | Arabidopsis thaliana (Thale cress, Mouse-ear cress, Arabidopsis, ARATH)
    Transit signal
  • BCH-GENE-SCBD-14979-7 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase gene | Agrobacterium tumefaciens (Agrobacterium)
    Protein coding sequence | Resistance to herbicides (Glyphosate)
  • BCH-GENE-SCBD-258886-1 Hypothetical protein 3' untranslated region | Medicago truncatula (Barrelclover, Strong-spined medick, Barrel medic, Barrel medick, MEDTR)
    Terminator
  • BCH-GENE-SCBD-263018-2 Dahlia mosaic virus enhancer | Dahlia mosaic virus (DMV, 9VIRU, DaMV)
    Enhancer
  • BCH-GENE-SCBD-280808-2 SAM2 promoter | Cucumis melo (Melon, Melons)
    Promoter
  • BCH-GENE-SCBD-280809-1 Ubiquitin promoter | Cucumis melo (Melon, Melons)
    Promoter
  • BCH-GENE-SCBD-103616-4 rbcS Transit Peptide | Pisum sativum (Garden pea, PEA)
    Transit signal
  • BCH-GENE-SCBD-100728-3 Dicamba monooxygenase gene | Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (S. maltophilia, Stenotrophomonas)
    Protein coding sequence | Resistance to herbicides
  • BCH-GENE-SCBD-114687-1 Chlorophyll a/b binding protein 1 promoter | Arabidopsis thaliana (Thale cress, Mouse-ear cress, Arabidopsis, ARATH)
    Promoter
  • BCH-GENE-SCBD-15002-5 Phosphinothricin N-acetyltransferase | Streptomyces viridochromogenes (STRVR)
    Protein coding sequence | Resistance to herbicides (Glufosinate)
  • BCH-GENE-SCBD-272458-1 Heat shock protein 20 terminator | Medicago truncatula (Barrelclover, Strong-spined medick, Barrel medic, Barrel medick, MEDTR)
    Terminator
  • BCH-GENE-SCBD-101416-7 Ti plasmid right border repeat | Agrobacterium tumefaciens (Agrobacterium)
    Plasmid vector
  • BCH-GENE-SCBD-101415-9 Ti plasmid left border repeat | Agrobacterium tumefaciens (Agrobacterium)
    Plasmid vector
The modified sugar beet contains three genetic cassettes expressing Stenotrophomonas maltophilia dicamba mono-oxygenase (dmo), Streptomyces viridochromogenes phosphinothricin N-acetyltransferase (pat), and Agrobacterium sp. strain CP4 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (cp4 epsps).

(1) The cp4 epsps gene is regulated by the SAM2-Cm1 promoter from Cucumis melo, which includes its native 5′ untranslated leader and intron to enhance transcription. A chloroplast transit peptide from Arabidopsis thaliana is fused to the N-terminus of the CP4 EPSPS coding sequence to direct the transport of the protein to the chloroplast. Transcription is terminated by the Medicago truncatula guf-Mt1 terminator. Because of the constitutive promoter, high expression is expected in a wide range of plant tissues.

(2) The dmo gene is expressed under the control of a ubiquitin promoter from Cucumis melo, preceded by an enhancer fragment from Dahlia mosaic virus. A Rubisco small subunit transit peptide is fused to the N-terminus of the DMO coding sequence, directing the enzyme to plastids. Transcription is terminated by a guf-Mt2 terminator from Medicago truncatula.

(3) The pat gene is regulated by a chlorophyll a/b binding protein promoter from Arabidopsis thaliana, which drives strongest expression in green photosynthetic tissues. The pat coding sequence, is terminated by the Medicago truncatula hsp20 terminator.

Note
  • Molecular analyses detect the absence of plasmid sequences and demonstrated that event KWS20-1 contains a single intact T-DNA insertion at one locus, which includes the full-length cassettes for dmo, pat, and cp4 epsps;
  • No extraneous plasmid backbone sequences, such as the bacterial aadA marker gene, were detected in the genome;
  • Southern blotting, PCR, and sequencing confirmed that the insert is stably inherited across multiple generations according to Mendelian principles;
  • Expression studies confirmed that all three intended proteins are produced; dmo and cp4 epsps are expressed in both root and leaf tissue, while pat expression is very low or undetectable in root tissue.
EN
LMO characteristics
EN
  • Food
Detection method(s)
EN
Additional Information
EN
Records referencing this document Show in search
Record type Field Record(s)
Country's Decision or any other Communication LMO identification 2
Risk Assessment generated by a regulatory process Living modified organism(s) 2

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