GMOs

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GMO: Inaccurate term

• Genetically modified organism is a horribly inaccurate term 

• The vast majority of agriculturally significant plants and animals have been genetically manipulated by humans 

• Many people mean Genetically Engineered Organism in which a scientist inserts, removes, or changes specific DNA sequences into a target organism 

More Accurate Terms 

• Transgenic: the addition of DNA from a non-related organism into a target 

• Cisgenic: the addition of DNA from a very closely related organism into a target 

• Knockout: the deliberate introduction of a mutation causing a loss of function 

Cross Breeding

• Combining two sexually compatible species to create a variety with the desired traits of the parents

• Honeycrisp apples 

Mutagenesis

• Use of mutagens such as radioactivity to induce random mutations, creating a desired trait/color

• Ruby Red Grapefruits 

Polyploidy

• Multiplication of the number of chromosomes in a crop to impact its fertility

• Seedless watermelons

GMOs & Safety

• The overwhelming consensus among the scientific community is that GMOs are safe and effective (NOT inherently bad) 

• The National Academy of Science issued an official paper summarizing the research in the field and concluded that GMOs are safe for consumption and safe for the environment 

• Over 3,000 peer-reviewed scientific papers have been published with the conclusion that GMOs are safe 

Transgenesis

• Addition of genes from any species to create a new variety with desired traits

• Can be used to make produce more resistant

 

Protoplast Fusion

• Fusion of cells or cell components to transfer traits between species 

• Radishes and Cabbages to make sterile male cabbages 

Naturalistic Fallacy

• View that natural things are inherently better for you than man-made or synthetic things 

• People don’t appreciate how current food has been highly modified 

Why are GMOs subject to debate

• Emotional vs logical positions 

• People don’t understand the term or the science 

• People have a misguided view of what is natural 

• People like to belong to a club 

Roundup ready Sugar Beets 

• Allows crops to be sprayed with roundup herbicide: kills weeds but not crop 

• Actually resulted in decrease in total toxicity 

Bt Corn and Cotton

• Transgene with bacterial gene that produces protein that kills larvae that feed on leaves 

• Inactive in humans 

• Bt bacteria is used in organic farming (organic does not mean no pesticides, it just means no manmade pesticides) 

Drought tolerant crops 

Genes are added that allow plants to conserve water 

Golden Rice 

Biofortification to add Vitamin A to rice-intensive diet 

Arctic Apples 

Knockout that prevents browning of cut apples 

Sub-rice 

Cisgenic rice plant that is resistant to being completely submerged during floods