gm-foods what? why? how? what for?. examples of traits found in gm foods disease-resistance gm...

GM-FoodsGM-Foods

What? Why? How? What for?What? Why? How? What for?

Examples of traits found in GM FoodsExamples of traits found in GM Foods

Disease-resistanceDisease-resistance

GM Papaya resistant to Papaya ringspot virus

Papaya

Examples of traits found in GM FoodsExamples of traits found in GM Foods

Pest-resistancePest-resistance

European Corn Borer

Herbicide ToleranceHerbicide ToleranceRoundUp Ready

Examples of traits found in GM FoodsExamples of traits found in GM Foods

Increased NutritionIncreased Nutrition

Golden Rice – Vitamin A

Medication, frost-resistance, salt tolerance, drought toleranceMedication, frost-resistance, salt tolerance, drought tolerance

How common are GM Foods?How common are GM Foods?

How common are GM Foods?How common are GM Foods?

How common are GM Foods?How common are GM Foods?

How are GM Crops made? Old How are GM Crops made? Old methodmethod

Old Method – Cross Old Method – Cross BreedingBreeding

Same speciesSame species

Takes many Takes many generations.generations.

Thousands of Thousands of yearsyears

Teosinte Modern corn

How are GM Crops made? Old How are GM Crops made? Old methodmethod

How are GM Crops made? New How are GM Crops made? New methodmethod

TransgenicsTransgenics

Can move genes from any living organism.Can move genes from any living organism.

GM Cotton resistant to boll weevil

Cotton

Advantages of GM FoodsAdvantages of GM Foods

Increased productionIncreased production

Decreased pesticide useDecreased pesticide use

Improved shelf-lifeImproved shelf-life

More land available for farmingMore land available for farming

Flavr Savr Tomato

Disadvantages of GM FoodsDisadvantages of GM Foods

No labelNo label

Allergy risk?Allergy risk?

Mixing of genes with wild relativesMixing of genes with wild relatives

Safe for human consumptionSafe for human consumption

Bt CropsBt Crops

Bacillus thuringiensisBacillus thuringiensis is a common soil is a common soil bacteria.bacteria.

Produces a protein - Produces a protein - toxic to certain insects toxic to certain insects (not humans)(not humans)

Toxin coats intestine Toxin coats intestine and larvae starve.and larvae starve.

Bt CropsBt CropsSprayed to control Sprayed to control both beetle, moth, both beetle, moth, and butterfly larvae.and butterfly larvae.

European Corn Borer European Corn Borer causes $1 billion in causes $1 billion in crop damage each crop damage each year.year.

RoundUp ReadyRoundUp Ready

RoundUp is an RoundUp is an herbicide used to herbicide used to control weedscontrol weeds

RoundUp Ready RoundUp Ready crops are resistant to crops are resistant to RoundUp.RoundUp.

RoundUp Ready ConcernsRoundUp Ready Concerns

Is it safe for the Is it safe for the environment?environment?– No-till land has No-till land has

increased 35%increased 35%

– Estimated 1 billion Estimated 1 billion tons of soil erosion tons of soil erosion preventedprevented

– 5% increase in 5% increase in herbicide useherbicide use

How Are GM Crops MadeHow Are GM Crops Made

Isolate GeneIsolate Gene

Place gene in “gene cassette”Place gene in “gene cassette”– Promoter – tells cell “beginning of gene”Promoter – tells cell “beginning of gene”– Transgene – codes for proteinTransgene – codes for protein– Terminator – tells cell “end of gene”Terminator – tells cell “end of gene”– Gives gene “context” otherwise it’s “just DNA”Gives gene “context” otherwise it’s “just DNA”

PROMOTER TRANSGENE TERMINATOR

How Are GM Crops MadeHow Are GM Crops Made

Transfer Gene to Transfer Gene to organismorganism

– Viruses or bacteria to Viruses or bacteria to infect cells infect cells (agrobacteria)(agrobacteria)

– Gene GunGene Gun

What are we doing in lab?What are we doing in lab?

Bring in a food item made of corn or soyBring in a food item made of corn or soy

Isolate DNAIsolate DNA

PCRPCR

Run and analyze GelRun and analyze Gel

What is our PCR detecting?What is our PCR detecting?

Tubulin – found in all Tubulin – found in all plants; cytoskeletonplants; cytoskeleton

CaMV35S promoter – CaMV35S promoter – strongstrong promoter from promoter from Cauliflower Mosaic Cauliflower Mosaic Virus; used in many Virus; used in many gene cassettesgene cassettes

Thinking AheadThinking Ahead

Will we be able to detect Will we be able to detect whatwhat trait our GM trait our GM Food has?Food has?

What is the purpose of detecting tubulin?What is the purpose of detecting tubulin?

No, detecting the promoter, not the transgene which codes for traits.

Control – helps us know if we successfully isolated DNA and set up PCR.

Why do we need to modify foods in Why do we need to modify foods in the first place?the first place?

??

Access to foodAccess to food

Need to feed millions of starving peopleNeed to feed millions of starving people

Only 10% of land is “arable” (can produce Only 10% of land is “arable” (can produce crops)crops)

Others?Others?

How are crops genetically How are crops genetically modified?modified?

Classical genetics (cross-breeding) vs. Classical genetics (cross-breeding) vs. transgenicstransgenics

http://www.teachersdomain.org/resources/http://www.teachersdomain.org/resources/tdc02/sci/life/gen/breeding/index.htmltdc02/sci/life/gen/breeding/index.html

How common is GM Food?How common is GM Food?

63% of all land used to grow GM crops is in U.S.

How common is GM Food?How common is GM Food?

Number of acres used for GM Farming is increasing world wide.

How common is GM Food?How common is GM Food?

In U.S. (2004)- 45% of corn (38% in WI)

- 85% of soybeans (82% in WI)

- 76% of cotton

GMO Free LabelsGMO Free Labels

GMO Free LabelsGMO Free Labels

How are transgenics made?How are transgenics made?

http://cls.casa.colostate.edu/TransgenicCrops/http://cls.casa.colostate.edu/TransgenicCrops/animation.htmlanimation.html

Determine which gene, Isolate DNA, cut out Determine which gene, Isolate DNA, cut out gene, paste gene into a plasmid, gene gun to gene, paste gene into a plasmid, gene gun to transfer DNA into plant cells, clone to produce transfer DNA into plant cells, clone to produce more transgenic plantsmore transgenic plants

What are some issues related to What are some issues related to GM-Foods?GM-Foods?

What types currently exist?What types currently exist?

How much of our crops are currently GM? How much of our crops are currently GM? How much of the food in the store?How much of the food in the store?

How would we know if something is GM or How would we know if something is GM or not?not?

What are some issues related to What are some issues related to GM-Foods?GM-Foods?

Is GM Food safe to eat? How safe is it?Is GM Food safe to eat? How safe is it?

Safe for the environment? Does it result in Safe for the environment? Does it result in more or less use of pesticides? More or more or less use of pesticides? More or less use of herbicides?less use of herbicides?

Who determines if it is safe or not?Who determines if it is safe or not?

What are some issues related to What are some issues related to GM-Foods?GM-Foods?

Can the genes escape into nature?Can the genes escape into nature?

http://www.teachersdomain.org/resources/tdc02/sci/life/gen/salmon/index.html

Which are GM traits are most Which are GM traits are most commonly used?commonly used?

Virus ResistanceVirus Resistance– Papaya, beetsPapaya, beets

Roundup Ready (herbicide resistance)Roundup Ready (herbicide resistance)– Canola, cotton, soybeans, cornCanola, cotton, soybeans, corn

Bt (pest resistance)Bt (pest resistance)– Cotton, corn, potatoesCotton, corn, potatoes– Harvest of Fear Video ClipHarvest of Fear Video Clip

Bt crop - concernsBt crop - concerns

Can insects develop resistance to Bt?Can insects develop resistance to Bt?

– Yes, but that’s true for non-GM insect-resistant Yes, but that’s true for non-GM insect-resistant crops as well.crops as well.

– Recommended that Bt crops be alternated with Recommended that Bt crops be alternated with regular crops.regular crops.

Bt crops - concernsBt crops - concerns

Is Bt safe for the Is Bt safe for the environment?environment?

69.7 million pounds less 69.7 million pounds less pesticide used in 2005.pesticide used in 2005.

Fewer “non-target” Fewer “non-target” insects such as monarch insects such as monarch butterflies are killed butterflies are killed compared to spraying.compared to spraying.

Can Bt crops still kill non-Can Bt crops still kill non-target insects?target insects?

Bt concerns?Bt concerns?

Is Bt safe for Is Bt safe for humans?humans?

– FDA considers Bt to FDA considers Bt to be safe for human be safe for human consumption. Digested consumption. Digested quickly.quickly.

– Humans have been Humans have been exposed to Bt for exposed to Bt for many years.many years.

RoundUp Ready ConcernsRoundUp Ready ConcernsCan the herbicide-Can the herbicide-resistance genes resistance genes move by pollen?move by pollen?

– ““Superweeds”Superweeds”

– Yes, but true for non-Yes, but true for non-GM herbicide-resistant GM herbicide-resistant crops as well.crops as well.

– Not a trait that will Not a trait that will allow it to outcompete allow it to outcompete in wild areasin wild areas

General GM Food ConcernsGeneral GM Food Concerns

Are GM Foods safe for the environment?Are GM Foods safe for the environment?– World’s 1950 grain output = 692 million tonsWorld’s 1950 grain output = 692 million tons

– World’s 2003 grain output = 1.9 billion tonsWorld’s 2003 grain output = 1.9 billion tons170% increase170% increaseSame number of acresSame number of acres

– Would need 1.8 billion additional hectares of Would need 1.8 billion additional hectares of land to produce same amount of grain by land to produce same amount of grain by 1950’s methods.1950’s methods.

General GM Foods ConcernsGeneral GM Foods Concerns

AllergensAllergens– What if new gene encodes a protein causes What if new gene encodes a protein causes

allergic reactions and/or death in people?allergic reactions and/or death in people?

– How would you predict if a food might contain How would you predict if a food might contain a new allergen?a new allergen?

RoundUp is considered “Friendly”RoundUp is considered “Friendly”

- It is virtually nontoxic to mammals, birds, fish, and insectsIt is virtually nontoxic to mammals, birds, fish, and insects

- - It exhibits essentially no pre-emergence activity. It won't prevent - It exhibits essentially no pre-emergence activity. It won't prevent plants in your garden from germinating.plants in your garden from germinating.

- - It exhibits essentially no residual soil activity even when applied at - It exhibits essentially no residual soil activity even when applied at high rates. Roundup binds tightly to soil particles and doesn't move on high rates. Roundup binds tightly to soil particles and doesn't move on or in the soil to affect untreated plants nearbyor in the soil to affect untreated plants nearby

- - It breaks down quickly into natural materials such as carbon dioxide - It breaks down quickly into natural materials such as carbon dioxide and nitrogenand nitrogen

- - It does not penetrate the woody stems of trees, shrubs, or grapevines - It does not penetrate the woody stems of trees, shrubs, or grapevines

- - Finally, the most important feature, once inside the plant, glyphosate - Finally, the most important feature, once inside the plant, glyphosate inhibits a key enzyme found only in plants and bacteria EPSP inhibits a key enzyme found only in plants and bacteria EPSP synthase. synthase.