GMO Worldwide

1
GMO Worldwide
Transgenic crops grown In US as of
2004 Corn Soybean Cotton Canola Squash Papaya
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Agriculture Transgenics On the Market

• Insect resistant cotton Bt toxin kills the
• cotton boll worm
• transgene Bt protein

Source USDA

• Insect resistant corn Bt toxin kills the
• European corn borer
• transgene Bt protein

Normal
Transgenic
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• Herbicide resistant crops
• Now soybean, corn, canola
• Coming sugarbeet, lettuce, strawberry
• alfalfa, potato, wheat (2005?)
• transgene modified EPSP synthase or
• phosphinothricin-N-acetyltransferase

Source Monsanto
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The Next Test Is The Field
Herbicide Resistance
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Final Test of the Transgenic Consumer Acceptance
RoundUp Ready Corn
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• Virus resistance - papya resistant to
• papaya ringspot virus
• transgene virus coat protein

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• Biotech chymosin the enzyme used
• to curdle milk products
• transgene genetically engineered enzyme

Source Chr. Hansen

• bST bovin somatotropin used to increase
• milk production
• transgene genetically engineered enzyme

Source Rent Mother Nature
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Next Generation of Ag Biotech Products
Golden Rice increased Vitamin A content (but
not without controversy) transgene three
pathway enzymes
Sunflower white mold resistance transgene
oxalate oxidase from wheat
Source Minnesota Microscopy Society
9
Turfgrass herbicide resistance slower
growing ( reduced mowing)
Bio Steel spider silk expressed in goats used
to make soft-body bullet proof vests (Nexia)
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Edible Vaccines Transgenic Plants Serving Human
Health Needs

• Works like any vaccine
• A transgenic plant with a pathogen protein gene
  is developed
• Potato, banana, and tomato are targets
• Humans eat the plant
• The body produces antibodies against pathogen
  protein
• Humans are immunized against the pathogen
• Examples
• Diarrhea
• Hepatitis B
• Measles

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Questions

• 1- What are the issues of concern about
  transgenic crops? Which of these raise safety
  issues for you and why?
• 2- Joshua Lederberg stated the the effect of
  regulations has been to make people think the
  technology is dangerous, whether it truly is or
  not.
• What are the agencies involved in regulating GMO
  in the US? Do you think it is the process or the
  product that should be regulated?
• 3- Why did Zambias president refuse shipment of
  American corn during a famine? Why has Florence
  Wambugus virus-resistant sweet potato not make
  it to the market? What is the responsibility of
  Western societies and the scientific community to
  share technologies that can directly benefit
  people in less developed countries?