Genotoxic evaluation of the GH transgenic Synechocystis using mice and turbot (Scophthalmus maximus L.)

In the present paper, the genotoxicity of transgenic Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 containing flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) growth hormone gene has been assessed using micronucleus tests in mice and fish. No micronucleus inductions in bone marrow erythrocyte of mice were observed at three doses of transgenic Synechocystis (2.0, 5.0, and 10.0 g/kg). The frequencies of micronucleus and other nuclear abnormalities in turbot (Scophthalmus maximus L.) fed with 0.2%, 0.5% and 1.0% transgenic Synechocystis were also not significantly different (P>0.05) from controls. In contrast, cyclophosphamide, used in detecting the sensitivity of the biological assays, significantly increased the frequencies of micronucleus and other nuclear abnormalities in mice and turbot. Results indicate that the flounder GH transgenic Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 seems to have no genotoxic effects on fish. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.