Our speaker, Cory Dombrowski, spoke on GMOs at our last meeting.
We quickly moved from GMO to "Genetic Engineered" after discussing that nature or an object as simple as a paintbrush moving pollen from one plant to another could create a GMO.
There are two types of Genetic Engineering: Transgenic and Cisgenicmodification.
Cory discussed in detail how we "cut" and "paste" parts from one object into another object to create a new plant. There are many ways this is accomplished which are outlined below.
Two other points I would like to mention: Seeds can be legally patented and those patents do expire; and testing on Genetic Engineering follows what the USDA requires.
Below is Cory's Outline of our discussion:
Introduction
I work for Sakata Seed as a trial coordinator; my views do not represent the company I work for.
1995 – bachelor’s degree in agricultural development from Texas A&M
2008 – Plant Breeding Academy at UC Davis
What is a GMO? Genetically Modified Organism
Definition: Plants, animals or micro-organisms that have changed through genetic engineering
Genetic engineering – techniques that remove heritable material or that introduce heritable material prepared outside the organism either directly into the host or into a cell that is then fused or hybridized with the host.
Usually excludes traditional breeding, in vitro fertilization, induction of polyploidy, mutagenesis and cell fusion techniques
Transgenic – genetic material is from another species
Cisgenic – genetic material is from the same species or closely related species that can naturally breed with the host
What is a gene? – a molecular unit of heredity
What is a trait? – a feature of a living thing
How is it done?
Microinjection – for animal cells
Thermal or electric shock for bacteria
Plants
Agrobacterium – transfers its genes into plants to cause “tumors” or galls
Corn, cotton, soybean, sugar beet, alfalfa, golden rice, canola
Biolistics
Tissue culture techniques – totipotency
GMO examples
Microbes – bacteria to produce proteins (insulin, clotting proteins, human growth hormone, enzymes for cheese making)
Plants – Agronomic crops, blue roses, biofuel, BLS resistant tomato
Animals – traits of disease resistance, food production, research, to produce proteins
Examples of GMOs in food production
Insecticidal traits
Bt in corn
Herbicide tolerance
Glyphosate resistant soybeans
Disease resistance
Virus resistance in squash, papaya
Percentage of food crops in GMO as of 2013 world-wide (GMO Compass)
Soy 79%
Maize 32%
Canola 24%
Cotton 70%
Trend is increasing, but less so than in previous years
History of GMOs
1972 – Paul Berg combined virus DNA
1973 – Herbert Boyer and Stanley Cohen made first GMO, inserting antibiotic resistance genes into E. coli.
1974 – Rudolf Jaensich created first transgenic mouse
1975 – Asilomar Conference – recommended government oversight
1976 – Genetech founded, in 1977 produced somatostatin, a human protein, in E. coli.
1978 – created G.E. insulin
1980 – Diamond vs. Chakrabarty – U.S. Supreme court ruled that genetically altered life could be patented
1982 – humulin, insulin from bacteria, approved by FDA
1987 – first GMO released into the environment, an ice-minus strain of P. syringae, sprayed on strawberries and potatoes in California. The trials were attacked by activist groups
1986 – first field trials of GMO plants in France and the U.S. – tobacco plants resistant to herbicides
1992 – China introduced first commercial GMO plant, a virus resistant tobacco
1994 – FlavrSavr tomato, modified to ripen without softening
1994 – E.U. approved commercialization of herbicide-resistant tobacco
1995 – Bt potato approved by EPA in the US.
1996 – Monsanto’s first Bt corn approved
2003 – GloFish introduced for sale
2005 – Roundup-ready alfalfa approved
2005 – GE sugar beets
2014 – breaking news: Simplot GMO potato, resistant to bruising and produces less acrylamide – example of cisgenetics
Concerns with GMOs
Gene flow – pollen or seed transfer
Patenting living organisms
Labeling?
Pesticide/Herbicide resistance – “super-weeds” and “super-bugs”
Health and environmental risks
allergens
Terminator seeds
Food for thought
Are GMOs a monolithic entity?
Fear-generating, over-generalizing
Toxic, “chemical”
“Feed the World”
Innovations hurting us rather than helping?
Restraints on innovations are prolonging our suffering?
“Scientists say” and the scientific method
Genetic engineering is a tool in improving crop production
Organisms share genes – we share ¼ of our genes with rice.
Transgenics happens in nature
