Is genetically modifying salmon equivalent to genetically modifying plants?

Expert response from Caitlin Cooper

Ph.D Candidate, University of California Davis

Wednesday, 18/09/2013 15:45

Essentially, yes.  In both cases, a gene that is intended to result in a new, desirable trait is inserted into the genome of the plant or animal, the gene provides the information to make a protein and the protein results in a new or enhanced trait.  One difference involves the similarity of the new protein to the proteins produced by the target.  Commercial GM plants today use a gene from a different source (other plant, microbe, mushroom, etc.) to make a completely new protein for the plant.  Another approach is to add a gene that already exists in the plant to make more of a protein that is already made by the target plant to enhance some attribute. This is called cisgenesis and the result is that there is no new protein.  In the case of the salmon that is under FDA review, a gene for growth hormone from Chinook salmon is added to Atlantic salmon to increase their rate and efficiency of growth.  Like cisgenesis, the Chinook growth hormone is not new compared with the growth hormone made by Atlantic salmon.  But its release profile is different, and this is enough of a difference to increase the salmon's growth.

To further extend the comparison, GM salmon are evaluated by the FDA for food safety, and the FDA uses some of the same experimental approaches to evaluate safety.