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GMOs Perfected Down to the Chromosome Level

Posted by Zonk on from the finely-tuned-corn dept.

Roland Piquepaille writes "If don't like the concept of 'Frankenfoods,' I have bad news for you. U.S. researchers have developed an artificial chromosome for corn plants. The Chicago Tribune reports that researchers can now make chromosomes to order. These artificial chromosomes are accepted as natural by the plants and passed through generations. As the Monsanto Company bought rights to use this mini-chromosome stacking technology in corn, cotton, soybeans, and canola, I guess we'll soon eat food made from permanently genetically modified organisms (PGMOs?)."

4 of 469 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Permanently genetically modified organisms by taniwha · · Score: 5, Interesting
    the difference of course is that the hybrids we've created (since the dawn of agriculture) have used mixtures of other genes that were already around for generations - if you start just making up genes you do need to do much more carefull testing - make sure they don't mix with the plant next door and make something evil that kills all the bees or creates a super weed etc etc it's a combinatorial problem that nature has already been through and spent a few billion years of evolution on - combinatorial means that there are bullions of possible combinations of genes only a tiny few of which are usefull, most of the rest are non-viable but some will do stuff we don't want and because the state space is so large we probably can't ever predict all the possible outcomes without trying and finding out (and then it's too late if something bad happens) because the state space is so large it may take many many generations to find out

    don't get me wrong I'm not a luddite as far as GM is concerned - I want to see cool new organisms for us to use - I just think we should be really really carefull and require enormous amounts of testing - maybe generations (in human time) of testing

  2. Maybe the worry over GMOs is misdirected by smoondog · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I guess we'll soon eat food made from permanently genetically modified organisms (PGMOs?).

    I'm not sure how a PGMO differs from today's GMOs which, I believe, can pass genetic modifications to offspring (they are present in the germline). The article summary contains a bias that GMOs are somehow inherently bad. Look, lots of things in our food contains risky things, and people seem to want blame GMOs for many ills. At some level of intake everything is risky. There are tons of studies outlining why some foods are bad for you. Alcohol is bad for you. Marijuana is bad for you. BBQ is bad for you (polyaromatic hydrocarbons, other bad things in charred foods). French fries apparently contain acrylimide. Saturated fats are associated with obesity, the development of heart disease. Sugar is associated with the progression of diabetes. Salt is associated with high blood pressure, heart disease. Acidic foods (ie diet coke) are bad for your digestive system. You get the point.

    How many of these do you overindulge in occasionally? Similarly, assuming all GMOs are bad for health reasons is short sighted (although they may be bad for political reasons -- that is another matter). Many foods we eat are engineered in some way, usually with a sledge hammer by classical means, no one seems to complain about that. We already use pesticides on crops, perhaps resistant GMOs might reduce pesticide use? Perhaps GMOs might have better nutritional components than their non engineered counterparts? Perhaps GMOs can be developed that make some of the risky foods in the previous paragraph less risky? GMOs should be evaluated like everything else, carefully. While I understand their fears, I wish the GMO protest community would spend a little less time worrying about GMOs and more time worrying about very real food risks (see above), heavy metals in imported goods (including foods) and the things around us that are really worth our concern.

  3. Engineered Corn Cleared in 17 Food Reactions by Thrustworthy · · Score: 5, Interesting
    "...One of the people who suffered anaphylactic shock after eating an enchilada made of yellow corn, Californian Grace Booth, said she was still convinced she had a reaction to StarLink (genetically engineered corn)."

    "Everything else I ate in the 72 hours before I got so sick, I've eaten again with no problem," she said. "Frankly, I don't trust the tests."

    http://www.mindfully.org/GE/GE2/StarLink-Cleared-AllergiesCDC.htm

    Anyone remember this? Some people don't have the necessary enzyme to properly metabolize the Cry9c protein in genetically engineered corn.

    Also, "In September 2006, PUBPAT filed formal requests with the United States Patent and Trademark Office to revoke four patents owned by Monsanto Company that the agricultural giant is using to harass, intimidate, sue - and in many cases bankrupt - American farmers."

    http://www.pubpat.org/monsantovfarmers.htm

  4. Re:More Bothersome - economics of it by RDW · · Score: 5, Interesting

    'I'm sure that since this will all be patented, then the ability to grow it will be subject to various fees and "subscriptions" eventually. I wouldn't be surprised if eventually ou would need to buy a special chemical, without which, the wheat or whatever crop will not grow.'

    Pretty similar things are happening already. See this for a sample:

    http://www.monsanto.com/monsanto/ag_products/crop_protection/roundup_rewards.asp

    'Roundup Ready' plants are GMOs modified to confer resistance to a herbicide sold (of course) by the same company. And yes, there's an annual license and an anonymous hotline to report violators (PDF):

    http://www.monsanto.com/monsanto/ag_products/pdf/stewardship/stewardship.pdf