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I just want to know more good things about GMO's.
Submitted by: issacsmith
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Expert response from Community Manager
Monday, 25/02/2019 18:15
Over the last 20 years, crop biotechnology has significantly reduced agriculture’s environmental impact and stimulated economic growth in the 26 countries where the technology is used, according to this report by PG Economics. Notably, crop biotechnology has helped alleviate poverty for 16.5 million, mostly smallholder farmers in developing countries, allowing them to send their children to school and improving their livelihoods altogether.
Chris Barbey, PhD Student, Plant Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, also explains in this previous response other ways genetic engineering touches on the routine life of billions of people.
“Food, clothes, and medicine are commonly made with the help of genetically engineered organisms. Certain medicines, like insulin, could only be mass-produced this way. Fiber for clothes is made less expensive thanks to GE cotton plants. You also PROBABLY sometimes eat plants with a few engineered genes, depending on where you live. But genetic engineering isn’t just for making new or better things. It’s also one of the best tools for discovering new science, and we owe much of the modern textbooks to what’s been learned using genetic engineering. Let’s focus just on food made with GE.”
Chris goes on to outline how food made with GE crops affects society in three broad categories: farmers, the environment, and consumers.
Additionally, this article by reporter Carol Reese on the Jackson Sun website details the many ways GMOs can benefit our world.
We hope this answers your question, if you have any other questions about GMOs or biotechnology, please ask here!
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A: In addition to the response by Robert Murray, Professor, Human Nutrition, The Ohio State University, we have answered similar questions on genetic modification in humans in the past. Dr. Larry Gilbertson, Ph.D, Genomics Strategy Lead, Monsanto, answered a similar question; an excerpt is included below. “Even if germline genetic modification becomes a reality in humans, it is one thing to use it to repair a mutation that causes a disease, but it is quite another to use it to “enhance” human traits. The latter captures people’s imagination, but [...]
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A: Direct replacement of a defective gene with a healthy gene is now being used for disease treatment. The first gene therapy treatment approved by the FDA was for a rare inherited condition that causes progressive blindness starting in childhood. Patients from 4 to 44 yeaers of age were treated by injecting normally functioning genes into the eye. More than 90 percent of those participating showed improvement in vision. In another study, scientists recently reported that they had successfully replaced a gene (CEP290) that causes kidney disease in patients suffering with Joubert’s syndrome. [...]
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Expert response from Steve Chandler
Suntory Flowers Limited
Thursday, 27/12/2018 21:35
Thank you for your question.
I think it’s important to take the opportunity before replying to point out that animals and plants share naturally many genes with the same function. These functions relate to the basic machinery of life, such as gene and cell replication and basic metabolism. This point has been made before in this forum but I think is an important concept to be familiar with.
To the question though and yes, animal (including human) genes do sometimes get used in genetically modified plants. As animal and plant genes are both made of DNA the methods for transferring animal genes to plants have been available for many years and these genes are expressed in plants ( see https://www.nytimes.com/1990/01/16/science/human-genes-turn-plants-into-factories-for-medicines.html as an early example). Using the genetically modified plants it is possible to produce proteins and peptides of medicinal and pharmaceutical value which can then be extracted for study. Another example where animal genes have been expressed in plants are the case of the expression of genes encoding “anti-freeze” proteins from flounder in tobacco and tomato. These experiments were done to see if resistance to freezing was changed in the transgenic plants. The biosafety clearing house (https://bch.cbd.int/database/) maintains a publicly available database where it is possible to see the types of animal genes and donor organism that are being used in research, in both transgenic plants and transgenic animals.
No animal genes have been used in any of the genetically modified plants which have been released commercially and no animal genes are present in any transgenic plant grown for food or for animal feed. The International Service for the acquisition of Agri-Biotech applications maintains a database where it is possible to see the source organisms of the genes used in the transgenic plants grown commercially around the globe (http://www.isaaa.org/gmapprovaldatabase/geneslist/default.asp).
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Can already living humans be generically altered/modified in any way?(talking about a fully grown person, not a baby) How far are we from doing that? What have we achieved so far?
Submitted by: Ded Justded
Answer
Expert response from Robert Murray, MD
Professor, Human Nutrition, The Ohio State University
Thursday, 27/12/2018 19:41
Direct replacement of a defective gene with a healthy gene is now being used for disease treatment. The first gene therapy treatment approved by the FDA was for a rare inherited condition that causes progressive blindness starting in childhood. Patients from 4 to 44 yeaers of age were treated by injecting normally functioning genes into the eye. More than 90 percent of those participating showed improvement in vision. In another study, scientists recently reported that they had successfully replaced a gene (CEP290) that causes kidney disease in patients suffering with Joubert’s syndrome. Joubert’s syndrome is a brain disorder that causes physical, mental and sometimes visual impairments. Without treatment, one third of patients will develop kidney failure, forcing on to long-term dialysis or transplantation. The drug should be available within a few years. Even pre-natal gene therapy research was encouraged recently when the National Academy of Sciences indicated that altering the genes of embryos might be allowed under strict criteria if the objective is to prevent serious disease.
But this is important to understand: these many new therapies arising from gene-editing technology -- whether it is direct gene-replacement in humans or drugs and vaccines produced using the gene modification tools -- all of these therapies must still undergo the same strict study controls and meet existing regulatory standards to ensure that the treatments are both effective and safe. That will not change in the future.
Applying this powerful gene modification technique needs to be performed transparently under stringent guidelines to prevent misuse and unanticipated consequences. Just this week a Chinese scientist claimed that he had used CRISPR to alter embryos before implanting them in a woman, who then gave birth to twin girls. The action appeared to be a violation of China’s scientific regulations and drew immediate condemnation from fellow-scientists, ethicists, the lay public, and Chinese legal representatives. Monitoring the uses of gene editing technology will require a well-informed public. The media and the blogging community will need to step away from the sensationalism that often characterizes public discussion about genetic manipulation and instead provide accurate, scientifically-based perspectives so that the public understands the risks, the benefits, and the process being used. A good way to keep up with the whole field of genetic modification for biotechnology, agriculture, nutrition, and health is to follow the Genetic Literacy Project at https://GeneticLiteracyProject.org.
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Expert response from Community Manager
Moderator for GMOAnswers.com
Thursday, 27/12/2018 20:09
In addition to the response by Robert Murray, Professor, Human Nutrition, The Ohio State University, we have answered similar questions on genetic modification in humans in the past.
Dr. Larry Gilbertson, Ph.D, Genomics Strategy Lead, Monsanto, answered a similar question; an excerpt is included below.
“Even if germline genetic modification becomes a reality in humans, it is one thing to use it to repair a mutation that causes a disease, but it is quite another to use it to “enhance” human traits.
The latter captures people’s imagination, but to do so would require a level of knowledge about complex genetic traits that just doesn’t exist today, so even if the laboratory techniques exist, the data science required to do so doesn’t.”
Chris Barbey, Ph.D Student, Plant Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, also answers a similar question; an excerpt from that answer is included below.
“Ethical considerations aside, gene editing has a large technical hurdle in terms of “delivery.” A human body is made of tens of trillions of cells, and each cell contains the complete genome (some notable exceptions). Currently there’s no method on the horizon for editing all the cells of a large multicellular organism such as ourselves. So even though we know a lot of negative genetics causing human disease, unfortunately we can’t easily correct them in a living person. The technical hurdles preventing the curing of disease are the same hurdles preventing your transformation into Aquaman.”
We hope this answers your question, if you have any other questions about GMOs or biotechnology, please ask!
Question
I am doing a research assignment on Should the production of genetically modified corn to be disease resistant Anthracnose leaf blight in the Midwestern region of North America be banned? and I wanted to make it more specific. What is the most common type of GM corn which is affected by this disease Anthracnose leaf blight?
Submitted by: Pieter
Answer
Expert response from Stephen Moose
Professor of Plant Functional Genomics, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois
Monday, 01/10/2018 11:11
I am not aware of any genetically modified corn resistant to Anthracnose leaf blight. So, nothing to ban. And for the second part, this disease is common throughout the Midwest, but most corn hybrids (whether GM or not) already have some natural genetic resistance bred into them. The combination of genetic resistance, crop rotation, and spraying fungicides means anthracnose is not typically a problem.
Question
Can a gardener buy gmo squash seeds and how much are they? I am a biologist and am not afraid of gmos.
Submitted by: Jody Gross
The question has not been answered, click here to answer this question
Question
Can a gardener buy gmo squash seeds and how much are they? I am a biologist and am not afraid of gmos.
Submitted by: Jody Gross
Answer
Expert response from Community Manager
Moderator for GMOAnswers.com
Monday, 25/06/2018 15:23
Thank you for your question and interest, it is great you are a supporter of sciences.
The traditional home gardening seed outlets do not sell/market/offer GMO crop seeds, one would have to work through a grower seed dealer/distributor, which would require appropriate licensing and a contract agreement. So anyone can purchase GM seed varieties – it simply requires going through a farm supply company, getting the required licensing and signing a contract. But typical gardener retail stores will not offer biotech seed varieties.
Jennifer Bearden, the University of Florida IFAS Extension Agriculture Agent in Okaloosa County, discusses where a gardener can buy seeds in a response to a similar question.
“A new gardener will want to familiarize themselves with pests that routinely affect crops in their area. A good place to start is your local extension office. Many times, we have lists of varieties that are recommended for certain areas as well as pests that are a concern. The next consideration is the source of the seed. Do you want organic seed, raw seed or treated seed? This is a personal preference based on how you will grow the vegetables.”
Read her full response here.
This response also discusses where you can buy GMO food, as well as where you can buy GMO seed.
“If you are referring to purchasing GMO seeds, it depends on who is looking to buy the seeds. According to farmer, Brian Scott, farmers can purchase GMO seeds from a specific seed dealer (for example -GMO corn and soybeans). Scott goes on to explain this process for both a farmer and a home consumer:
“A farmer, like myself, can go to a seed dealer and buy genetically modified corn and soybeans to raise on his farm. With that purchase there will likely be a contract to sign along with information on how to properly steward the technology. For the home consumer there aren't currently any GMO options I'm aware of that one can go out and buy from, say, a home and garden center. Bt sweet corn is available, but I think you would have to contact a seed dealer who works with farmers like me or some other commercial ag entity. You can't just go to your local lawn and garden shop or big box store and get any GMO seed at this time.”
We also invite you to check out this blog post by Stephan Neidenbach, a non-farmer managing to get biotech seed and planting it.
We hope this answers your question, if you have any other questions about GMOs or biotechnology, please ask.
Answer
Q: can humans be genetically modified? how?
A: I’m a Monsanto scientist who has more than 20 years of experience with genetic modification of plants. I will try to answer your question, even though I don’t ever do experiments on animals, certainly not on humans, of course! Can humans be genetically modified…but a much bigger question is should humans be genetically modified? There are two ways to think about genetic modification of humans (or any animal). One way is modification of somatic cells, and the other is the modification of germline cells. Your question is probably related to germline modifications, but first [...]
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