Poplar is an economically important forest tree used for multiple applications, including bioenergy production. Although genetic engineering allows a quick introduction of desirable traits, simultaneously, it may deliver unintended side effects. Herein, we compared the protein composition in leaves of microclonally propagated fast-growing hybrid clone of Populus deltoides × Populus nigra (Populus × euroamericana), genetically modified with a reporter (GUS) and selective (NPTII) traits, and its non-transgenic parental genotype. By two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, we revealed that 5.5% of 330 detected protein spots were differentially accumulated. The vast majority of them showed lower abundance in the transgenic line. These proteins were mainly involved in primary metabolism, energy production, and protein synthesis/homeostasis; notably, none of them was directly linked to neomycin phosphotransferase or β-glucuronidase activities. Some of the differentially accumulated proteins could be associated with stress response caused by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Furthermore, the lower abundance of two cytosolic glutamine synthase isoforms and accumulation of bark storage protein A in the transgenic line, plausibly indicated impaired nitrogen metabolism and storage. The insertion of a model genetic construct did not alter the neighboring genetic loci, and neither toxins nor allergens were differentially abundant. In essence, we detected no protein indicating considerable health or environmental hazard in the transgenic hybrid black poplar.

杨树是一种经济上重要的林木，可用于多种用途，包括生物能源生产。尽管基因工程可以快速引入所需的性状，但同时可能会带来意想不到的副作用。在这里，我们比较了微克隆繁殖的快速增长的杂种胡杨 × 黑杨（Populus  ×  euroamericana）的叶片中的蛋白质组成。，具有记者（GUS）和选择性（NPTII）性状的基因修饰及其非转基因亲本基因型。通过二维凝胶电泳，我们发现330个检测到的蛋白斑点中有5.5％被差异性积累。它们中的绝大多数在转基因品系中显示出较低的丰度。这些蛋白质主要参与初级代谢，能量产生和蛋白质合成/体内平衡。值得注意的是，它们均未与新霉素磷酸转移酶或β-葡萄糖醛酸苷酶活性直接相关。一些差异积累的蛋白质可能与土壤杆菌引起的胁迫反应有关介导的转化。此外，转基因品系中两种胞质谷氨酰胺合酶同工型的较低丰度和树皮贮藏蛋白A的积累似乎表明氮代谢和贮藏受到损害。插入模型遗传构建体不会改变邻近的遗传位点，毒素和过敏原都不是差异丰富的。本质上，我们在转基因杂种黑杨中未检测到表明对健康或环境有重大危害的蛋白质。