Testbiotech comment on EFSA’s assessment of genetically engineered maize MIR604 for renewal authorisation from Syngenta

The EFSA GMO panel assessed the renewal application for maize MIR604. The maize expresses genes producing a synthetic, artificial version of Cry3A (mCry3A), which is especially toxic for Coleoptera species (such as the Western corn rootworm larvae, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera). Further, the maize produces the PMI protein (phosphomannose isomerase) derived from Escherichia coli. Expression of PMI enables transformed maize cells to utilise mannose and, therefore, to survive on specific media used for selecting the maize plants after the process of genetic engineering (so-called marker gene). The integration of the additional DNA was performed by using Agrobacterium tumefaciens in two different lines of maize (EFSA, 2009a). The final event was derived from stacking (crossing).

Implementing Regulation 503/2003 was applied in the risk assessment performed by EFSA.