genetically engineered crops allowed in the u.s. food supply

Genetically engineered crops allowed in the U.S. food supplyGenetically engineered crops allowed in the U.S. food supply Product Institution(s) Engineered Trait(s) Sources of New

GenesNameDate Allowed on

Market

Canola Bayer Resist glufosinate herbicide to control weeds

Bacteria, virus LibertyLink2000

Canola Monsanto Altered oil (high lauric acid) for soap and food products

Calif bay, turnip rape, bacteria, virus

Laurical1995

Corn Bayer Resist glufosinate herbicide to control weeds/male sterile to facilitate hybridization

Bacteria, virus SeedLinkDate unknown

Corn Bayer Resist glufosinate herbicide to control weeds/Bt toxin to control insect pests (European corn borer)

Bacteria, virus StarLink1998 (approved

only for animal feed)

Cotton Monsanto/Bayer

Resist bromoxynil herbicide to control weeds

Bacteria, virus BXN Cotton1995

Cotton Monsanto Bt toxin to control insect pests (cotton bollworms and tobacco budworm)

Bacteria Bollgard1995

Cotton Monsanto Resist glyphosate herbicide to control weeds

Arabidopsis, bacteria, virus

Roundup Ready1996

Genetically engineered crops allowed in the U.S. food supplyGenetically engineered crops allowed in the U.S. food supply

Product Institution(s) Engineered Trait(s) Sources of New Genes

NameDate Allowed on Market

Flax Univ Saskatchewan

Resist sulfonylurea herbicide to grow in soils with herbicide residues

Arabidopsis, bacteria

CDC Triffid1999

Papaya Cornell Univ/Univ Hawaii

Resist papaya ringspot virus

Bacteria, virus Sunup, Rainbow1997

Potato Monsanto Bt toxin to control insect pests (Colorado potato beetle)/resist potato virus Y

Bacteria, virus NewLeaf Y1999

Rice BayerResist glufosinate herbicide to control weeds

Bacteria, virusLibertyLink2004

Tomato Monsanto/Calgene

Altered ripening to enhance fresh market value

Tomato, bacteria, virus

FlavrSavr1994

GM food production (1996 – 2004) GM food production (1996 – 2004) (million Ha)(million Ha)

total

Developed countries

Developing countries

GM food production (1996 – 2003) GM food production (1996 – 2003) (million Ha)(million Ha)

Soybean Corn Cotton Canola

Current ProductsCurrent Products

• Transgenic SoybeanTransgenic Soybean– Roundup Ready Roundup Ready

• Resistant to Roundup Resistant to Roundup HerbicideHerbicide

• Reduces the amount of Reduces the amount of herbicide applied to cropsherbicide applied to crops

– Altered Altered ffatty-acid atty-acid contentcontent

• Changes the nutritional Changes the nutritional valuevalue

Field after one round of application of Roundup herbicide

GlyphosateresistanceGlyphosateresistance(sugar beet, canola, soybean, chicory, corn)(sugar beet, canola, soybean, chicory, corn)

GlufosinatresistanceGlufosinatresistance

(sugar beet(sugar beet , canola, soybean, chicory, rice, corn), canola, soybean, chicory, rice, corn)

Male sterilityMale sterility(Canola, chicory, corn)(Canola, chicory, corn)

Increased oleic acid contentIncreased oleic acid content(soybean)(soybean)


• CanolaCanola– Herbicide resistantHerbicide resistant

• Better for the environmentBetter for the environment

– Altered fatty-acid Altered fatty-acid compositioncomposition

• A value-added foodA value-added food

BromoxynilresistanceBromoxynilresistance(cotton, tobacco, canola)(cotton, tobacco, canola)

Sulfonylurea-resistanceSulfonylurea-resistance(cotton, canola)(cotton, canola)

Increased lauryl acid and myristic acid Increased lauryl acid and myristic acid contentcontent (canola)(canola)


• TomatoTomato– Flavr Savr TomatoFlavr Savr Tomato

• Delayed softening Delayed softening • Consumers get a better tasting tomatoConsumers get a better tasting tomato• FailedFailed

– Virus resistant tomatoVirus resistant tomato• Resistant to pestsResistant to pests• Decreases the amount of Decreases the amount of

pesticide applied to cropspesticide applied to cropsTransgenic tomato plants show resistance (left) while non-transformed plants are susceptible to cucumber mosaic virus under field conditions (right)

Altered ripeAltered ripe(tomato, water melone)(tomato, water melone)


• CornCorn– Bt CornBt Corn

The Monarch Butterfly debate:The Monarch Butterfly debate:– A microbial gene added results in the crop being resistant A microbial gene added results in the crop being resistant

to insectsto insects– Does it impact the Monarch Butterfly?Does it impact the Monarch Butterfly?

» Well planned experiments are critical to the survival Well planned experiments are critical to the survival of biotechnologyof biotechnology

Wild-type corn showing infestation - Bt corn is resistant to this


• CottonCotton– Yes – clothes can be made from transgenic crops!Yes – clothes can be made from transgenic crops!

– Bollgard cotton Bollgard cotton • Insect resistanceInsect resistance

• Lowers pesticide Lowers pesticide usageusage

Insect infestation on Bt (right) and non-Bt (left) cotton bolls


• PapayaPapaya– Virus resistantVirus resistant

• Restored the papaya industry in HawaiiRestored the papaya industry in Hawaii

• Reduced crop lossReduced crop loss

• Japan blocked imports of transgenic papayaJapan blocked imports of transgenic papaya

Virus-resisanceVirus-resisance(Papaya, potato, cucmber)(Papaya, potato, cucmber)


• Golden RiceGolden Rice– Biotechnology’s poster child?Biotechnology’s poster child?

• A true value added foodA true value added food

• Vitamin A enriched rice Vitamin A enriched rice prevents disease and blindnessprevents disease and blindness

• Golden in colourGolden in colour

Golden rice and normal (white)www.fumento.com/ wsjbiotech.html

• Golden Rice has not been developed by and for industry. Golden Rice has not been developed by and for industry. • It fulfills an urgent need by complementing traditional interventions. It fulfills an urgent need by complementing traditional interventions. • It presents a sustainable, cost-free solution, not requiring other It presents a sustainable, cost-free solution, not requiring other

resources. resources. • It avoids the unfortunate negative side effects of the Green It avoids the unfortunate negative side effects of the Green

Revolution. Revolution. • Industry does not benefit from it. Industry does not benefit from it. • Those who benefit are the poor and disadvantaged. Those who benefit are the poor and disadvantaged. • It is given free of charge and restrictions to subsistence farmers. It is given free of charge and restrictions to subsistence farmers. • It does not create any new dependencies. It does not create any new dependencies. • It will be grown without any additional inputs. It will be grown without any additional inputs. • It does not create advantages to rich landowners. It does not create advantages to rich landowners. • It can be resown every year from the saved harvest. It can be resown every year from the saved harvest. • It does not reduce agricultural biodiversity. It does not reduce agricultural biodiversity. • It does not affect natural biodiversity. It does not affect natural biodiversity. • There is, so far, no conceptual negative effect on the environment. There is, so far, no conceptual negative effect on the environment. • There is, so far, no conceivable risk to consumer health. There is, so far, no conceivable risk to consumer health. • It was not possible to develop the trait with traditional methods, etc.It was not possible to develop the trait with traditional methods, etc.

Edible VaccinesEdible Vaccines

• Plants producing vaccines could eliminate Plants producing vaccines could eliminate or simplify vaccine distribution problems in or simplify vaccine distribution problems in developing nationsdeveloping nations

How a transgenic plant containing a vaccine is made

Edible VaccinesEdible Vaccines• May have advantages May have advantages

over injected vaccinesover injected vaccines• Plants being studied Plants being studied

include potato, banana, include potato, banana, papaya, tomato, lettuce, papaya, tomato, lettuce, carrot, rice, wheat, corn carrot, rice, wheat, corn and soybean – Quite a and soybean – Quite a salad!salad!

Potatoes are one of many plants being used to produce vaccines

Edible VaccinesEdible Vaccines

• Tomato and potato plant can make antigens Tomato and potato plant can make antigens from Hepatitis B, from Hepatitis B, E. ColiE. Coli and and V. choleraeV. cholerae

• Feeding to test animals induces an immune Feeding to test animals induces an immune responseresponse

• Potatoes fed to human volunteers induced Potatoes fed to human volunteers induced and immune response to an inactive form of and immune response to an inactive form of the the E. coliE. coli toxin toxin

Other Cool Plant Biotech ProductsOther Cool Plant Biotech Products

• Blue Carnations and RosesBlue Carnations and Roses– Nature can not make theseNature can not make these

• Non-allergenic peanutsNon-allergenic peanuts– Kids can take peanut butter Kids can take peanut butter

sandwiches to school again!sandwiches to school again!

• Decaffeinated coffeeDecaffeinated coffee– Less processingLess processing

How to constuct transgenic plants?How to constuct transgenic plants?

•Microinjection

•Viral vectors (e.g. lentiviruses, adenoviruses)(Univ. Pnnsylvania: Jesse Gelsinger)

How to constuct transgenic plants?How to constuct transgenic plants?

• Agrobacterium tumefaciensAgrobacterium tumefaciens– CancerousCancerous growth in plant cellsgrowth in plant cells

• ((bacterial bacterial DNA)DNA)

• GenGenee--gungun– Gold or WolframparGold or Wolframparticlesticles (DNA-coated) (DNA-coated)

• Particles must hit the cellsParticles must hit the cells• Cells must be able to repair the holes on cell membraneCells must be able to repair the holes on cell membrane• DNA DNA must intagrate into themust intagrate into the genomegenome

– Selection markers (e.g. Ab-resistance)Selection markers (e.g. Ab-resistance)

• The tThe transgenransgenee containscontains::– PromoterPromoter sesequencequence, , structural genestructural gene, , stop sequencestop sequence, , mmarker-genarker-genee

GM Products: BenefitsGM Products: Benefits• CropsCrops

– Enhanced taste and quality Enhanced taste and quality – Reduced maturation time Reduced maturation time – Increased nutrients, yields, and stress tolerance Increased nutrients, yields, and stress tolerance – Improved resistance to disease, pests, and herbicides Improved resistance to disease, pests, and herbicides – New products and growing techniques New products and growing techniques

• AnimalsAnimals – Increased resistance, productivity, hardiness, and feed efficiency Increased resistance, productivity, hardiness, and feed efficiency – Better yields of meat, eggs, and milk Better yields of meat, eggs, and milk – Improved animal health and diagnostic methods Improved animal health and diagnostic methods

• EnvironmentEnvironment – "Friendly" bioherbicides and bioinsecticides "Friendly" bioherbicides and bioinsecticides – Conservation of soil, water, and energy Conservation of soil, water, and energy – Bioprocessing for forestry products Bioprocessing for forestry products – Better natural waste management Better natural waste management – More efficient processing More efficient processing

• SocietySociety – Increased food security for growing populations Increased food security for growing populations

GM Products: ControversiesGM Products: Controversies• SafetySafety

– Potential human health impact: allergens, transfer of antibiotic resistance Potential human health impact: allergens, transfer of antibiotic resistance markers, unknown effects Potential environmental impact: unintended transfer markers, unknown effects Potential environmental impact: unintended transfer of transgenes through cross-pollination, unknown effects on other organisms of transgenes through cross-pollination, unknown effects on other organisms (e.g., soil microbes), and loss of flora and fauna biodiversity (e.g., soil microbes), and loss of flora and fauna biodiversity

• Access and Intellectual PropertyAccess and Intellectual Property – Domination of world food production by a few companies Domination of world food production by a few companies – Increasing dependence on Industralized nations by developing countries Increasing dependence on Industralized nations by developing countries – Biopiracy—foreign exploitation of natural resources Biopiracy—foreign exploitation of natural resources

• EthicsEthics – Violation of natural organisms' intrinsic values Violation of natural organisms' intrinsic values – Tampering with nature by mixing genes among species Tampering with nature by mixing genes among species – Objections to consuming animal genes in plants and vice versa Objections to consuming animal genes in plants and vice versa – Stress for animal Stress for animal

• LabelingLabeling – Not mandatory in some countries (e.g., United States) Not mandatory in some countries (e.g., United States) – Mixing GM crops with non-GM confounds labeling attempts Mixing GM crops with non-GM confounds labeling attempts

• SocietySociety – New advances may be skewed to interests of rich countriesNew advances may be skewed to interests of rich countries

Results of GM rice experiments in ChinaResults of GM rice experiments in China

GMGM non GM non GM

Costs of pesticidesCosts of pesticides 31 jüan/ha31 jüan/ha 243 jüan/ha 243 jüan/ha

Amount of pesticidesAmount of pesticides 2 kg/ha2 kg/ha 21,2 kg/ha 21,2 kg/ha

WorkWork 0,73 day/ha0,73 day/ha 9,1 day/ha 9,1 day/ha

YieldYield 6364 kg/ha6364 kg/ha 6151 kg/ha 6151 kg/ha

Health related problemsHealth related problems 00 3 3

genetically engineered crops allowed in the u.s. food supply

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