|
Plants >
Biotechnology / PNTs >
Molecular Farming
Glossary of Plant Molecular Farming (PMF) Terms
Please note: Definitions provided in this glossary have
been adapted from multiple sources to reflect the context of plant molecular
farming.
| Biodegradable Plastics |
Plastics that can be decomposed by microorganisms. |
| Chloroplast Transgenic Systems |
Where transgenes have been inserted in the genome of
chloroplasts, as opposed to insertion in nuclear DNA, and are expressed
exclusively in these organelles. Such transgenic systems may be useful in the
mitigation of gene flow in species where chloroplasts are not inherited through
pollen. |
| Confined Research Field Trial |
A confined research field trial is the release of a PNT, for research purposes, under
terms and conditions of confinement designed to minimize any impact the
PNT may have on the
environment. These terms and conditions include, but are not limited to,
reproductive isolation, site-monitoring and post-harvest land use restriction
(Canadian Food Inspection Agency, October 29, 2004 [online]). |
| Construct |
An engineered DNA fragment (e.g. plasmid) which contains, but is not limited to, the
DNA sequences to be integrated
into a target plant's genome (Canadian Food Inspection Agency, October 29,
2004 [online]). |
| Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) |
DNA is a
nucleic acid molecule which carries an organism’s genetic information. It
is found in all living organisms except for some viruses and is the means by
which hereditary characteristics pass from one generation to the next
(Encarta® World English Dictionary (North American Edition), no date
[online]) |
| Food Processing Enzyme |
An enzyme used to control food texture, flavour, appearance, or
nutritional value. Examples of such proteins include amylases that break
complex polysaccharides down to simpler sugars and proteases that tenderize
meat proteins (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2004
[online]). |
| Gene Flow |
The transfer of genetic material by interbreeding from one
population of a species to another population (same or related species),
thereby changing the composition of the gene pool of the receiving population
(Canadian Food Inspection Agency, October 29, 2004 [online]). |
| Genetic Engineering |
Procedures involved in the isolation, manipulation or expression
of genetic material, or the combining of DNA from two different organisms,
either for basic research or in the development of industrial processes
(Integrated Pest Management Resource Centre, no date [online]). |
| Genotype |
The sum total of the genes of an organism, latent or expressed
(Canadian Food Inspection Agency, October 29, 2004 [online]). |
| Human Biologic |
A human biologic is a drug prepared using a biological starting
or source material (e.g. derived from a
microorganism, virus, animal, human, or plant), and using either conventional
manufacturing methods, recombinant DNA technology, and/or other novel approaches
for its production. Some examples of biologics include vaccines, blood and its
derivatives, certain hormones, and enzymes, recombinant DNA products, gene therapies, and transgenics
(Government of Canada BioPortal, October 4, 2005 [online]). |
| Male Sterility |
Phenotype found in male flowering plants whereby pollen is
either absent or non-functional (Integrated Pest Management Resource Centre, no
date [online]). |
| Pharmaceutical |
A pharmaceutical is a synthetic drug made from chemicals.
Pharmaceuticals include prescription and non-prescription drugs, disinfectants,
as well as low risk products such as sunscreens, antiperspirants and toothpaste
(Government of Canada BioPortal, October 4, 2005 [online]; Health Canada
(October 1, 2004 [online]). |
| Phenotype |
The observable characteristics of an organism (including
physical, biochemical or other traits) which may result from the interaction of
the organism with its environment (Canadian Food Inspection Agency, October 29,
2004 [online]). |
| Plant Molecular Farming |
The use of plants in agriculture for the production of
pharmaceutical or industrial compounds rather than for the production of food,
feed or textile fibres. |
| Plant with a Novel Trait (PNT) |
A plant variety possessing a characteristic that is
intentionally selected or created through a specific genetic change and is
either not previously associated with a distinct and stable population of the
plant species in Canada or expressed outside the normal range of a similar
existing characteristic in the plant species (Canadian Food Inspection Agency,
October 29, 2004 [online]). |
| Platform |
Plant species chosen for the introduction and subsequent
expression of a novel gene. |
| Promoter |
The region of DNA which binds RNA polymerase and directs this enzyme to the
correct site where transcription of the gene will begin. Promoters may be
constitutive, inducible, or tissue-specific (Integrated Pest Management
Resource Centre, no date [online]).
Constitutive promoter: An unregulated promoter that allows for
continual transcription of its associated gene (Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations, 2004 [online]).
Inducible promoter: The activation of a promoter, and,
consequently, of the transcription of the associated gene(s), in response to
either the presence of a particular compound ( e.g., presence of a plant hormone) or of a defined
external condition (e.g., elevated
temperature) (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2004
[online]).
Tissue-specific promoter: A promoter that limits the expression of
the transcribed gene to certain tissues (e.g.,
protein expression is limited to seed and is not expressed in the leaves,
stems, or roots of the plant).
|
| Recombinant DNA (rDNA) |
A strand of DNA
synthesised in the laboratory by splicing together selected parts of DNA strands from different organisms or
by adding a selected part to an existing DNA strand. (Integrated Pest Management
Resource Centre, no date [online]) |
| Transcription |
The process of RNA
synthesis by an RNA polymerase to
produce a single-stranded RNA
complementary to a DNA
template (Integrated Pest Management Resource Centre, no date [online]). |
| Transformation |
The uptake and integration of DNA in a cell, in which the introduced
DNA is intended to change the
phenotype of the recipient organism in a predictable manner. (Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2004 [online]) |
| Transgene |
An isolated gene sequence used to transform an organism. Often,
but not always, the transgene has been derived from a different species than
that of the recipient.(Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations,
2004 [online]) |
| Unconfined Release |
A release into an environment of a plant with novel trait(s)
that is not isolated either reproductively or physically from managed or
natural environments, but may be subject to certain conditions (Canadian Food
Inspection Agency, November 19, 2004 [online]). |
| Vaccines |
A preparation of killed microorganisms, living attenuated
organisms, or living fully virulent organisms that is administered to produce
or artificially increase immunity to a particular disease (Merriam-Webster
Online Dictionary, no date [online]). |
| Veterinary Biologic |
A helminth, protozoa or micro-organism; a substance or mixture
of substances derived from animals, helminths, protozoa or micro-organisms; or
a substance of synthetic origin that is manufactured, sold or represented for
use in restoring, correcting or modifying organic functions in animals or for
use in the diagnosis, treatment, mitigation or prevention of a disease,
disorder, abnormal physical state, or the symptoms thereof, in animals.
Veterinary biologics include vaccines, bacterins, bacterin-toxoids,
immunoglobulin products, diagnostics kits, and any veterinary biologic derived
through biotechnology (Canadian Food Inspection Agency, August 8, 2005
[online]). |
| Veterinary Drug |
Any substance or mixture of substances manufactured, sold or
represented for use in
- the diagnosis, treatment, mitigation or prevention of a disease, disorder
or abnormal physical state, or its symptoms in animals, or
- restoring, correcting or modifying organic functions in animals (Justice
Canada, August 31, 2004 [online]).
|
| Volunteer |
A plant from a previous season's crop that regenerates in a
subsequent crop (Integrated Pest Management Resource Centre, no date [online])
. |
References
Canadian Food Inspection Agency (October 29, 2004). Assessment Criteria for
Determining Environmental Safety of Plants With Novel Traits (Dir94-08)
in Canadian Food Inspection Agency [online]. Available from:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/plaveg/bio/dir/dir9408e.shtml#ch1[Cited
February 4, 2005].
Canadian Food Inspection Agency (November 19, 2005). Conducting Confined
Research Field Trials of
Plants with Novel Traits in Canada in Canadian Food Inspection
Agency (Dir2000-07) [online]. Available from:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/plaveg/bio/dir/dir0007e.shtml [Cited
October 4, 2005]
Canadian Food Inspection Agency (August 8, 2005). Veterinary Biologics
Section in Canadian Food Inspection Agency [online]. Available from:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/anima/vetbio/vbpbve.shtml [Cited August 31,
2005]
Encarta® World English Dictionary (North American Edition) (No date).
DNA (1) in
Encarta® World English Dictionary (North American Edition). Available
from:
http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/DictionaryResults.aspx?refid=1861605650
[Cited September 28, 2005]
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2004). Glossary of
Biotechnology for Food and Agriculture in Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations [online]. Available from:
http://www.fao.org/documents/show_cdr.asp?url_file=/DOCREP/004/Y2775E/y2775e08.htm
[Cited September 28, 2005]
Government of Canada Bioportal (October 4, 2005). Biologics and
Radiopharmaceuticals in Government of Canada Bioportal. Available
from:
http://bioportal.gc.ca/english/LinkSearch.asp?x=1&formAction=ShowItemDetails&ID=920&DeptID=&bioreg=
[Cited October 4, 2005]
Health Canada (October 1, 2004). Regulation and Beyond : Progress on Health
Canada's Therapeutics Access Strategy in Health Canada. Available
from:
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hcs-sss/pubs/care-soins/2005-therap-strateg/index_e.html
[Cited September 28, 2005]
Integrated Pest Management Resource Centre (no date). Genetic Engineering
in Integrated Pest Management Resource Centre [online]. Available
from: http://www.pestmanagement.co.uk/lib/glossary/glossary_g.shtml [Cited
August 31, 2005]
Integrated Pest Management Resource Centre (no date). Male Sterility
in Integrated Pest Management Resource Centre [online]. Available
from: http://www.pestmanagement.co.uk/lib/glossary/glossary_m.shtml [Cited
February 2, 2005].
Integrated Pest Management Resource Centre (no date). Promoter in
Integrated Pest Management Resource Centre [online]. Available from:
http://www.pestmanagement.co.uk/lib/glossary/glossary_p.shtml [Cited August 31,
2005]
Integrated Pest Management Resource Centre (no date). Recombinant DNA in Integrated Pest
Management Resource Centre [online]. Available from:
http://www.pestmanagement.co.uk/lib/glossary/glossary_r.shtml [Cited August 31,
2005]
Integrated Pest Management Resource Centre (no date). Transcription
in Integrated Pest Management Resource Centre [online]. Available
from: http://www.pestmanagement.co.uk/lib/glossary/glossary_t.shtml [Cited
August 31, 2005]
Integrated Pest Management Resource Centre (no date). Volunteer in
Integrated Pest Management Resource Centre [online]. Available from:
http://www.pestmanagement.co.uk/lib/glossary/glossary_v.shtml [Cited May 5,
2004].
Justice Canada (August 31, 2004). Food and Drugs Act in Justice
Canada. Available from: http://laws.justice.gc.ca./en/F-27/61279.html [Cited
September 28, 2005]
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (no date). Vaccine in
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Available
from:http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=vaccine
[Cited September 28, 2005]
|
