Download All things in moderation – an exploration of GMOs and their pros and

All things in moderation – an
exploration of GMOs and their
pros and cons
Russ Karow
Professor Emeritus
OSU Crop and Soil Science
Executive Director
Agricultural Research
Foundation
Preamble 1
My sincere thanks to those from whom I
borrowed significant presentation content:
• Dr. Sagar Sathuvalli – OSU Potato Breeder
• Dr. Steve Straus – OSU College of Forestry
• Dr. Syed Sayeed – National Foods
Limited, Pakistan (EU Funded Project)
• Wikipedia
Preamble 2
I am not an expert on GMOs. My intent is
to provide background information on
what GMOs are and how they might help
or harm us. I will leave decisions on
whether they need to be relegated to the
realm of “good” or “bad” to you the
listener. I will refer any questions that get
into details beyond my expertise to other
scientists with greater expertise.
Preamble 3
Sayings attributable to several
The man who has food has many
problems, the man who has none
but one
All things in moderation
Presentation Outline
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Basic plant biology
Genes and gene expression
Plant and animal improvement methods
Examples of uncontested GM use
Pros and cons of GM use
Thoughts on labeling
Where to get more information
Conclusion – all things in moderation
Cell
The cell is the structural and functional unit of all
living organisms, sometimes called
the "building block of life."
Central Dogma of Biology
“faithfully” replicates
DNA
RNA
DNA→RNA→Protein
Transcription
• Transcription is the special copying of one side of the DNA
molecule that results in the production of a single strand
of RNA (messenger RNA - mRNA)
• The original DNA is not changed
• The amount of DNA that is transcribed is usually one gene
Sense
Antisense
Translation
• Translation is the reading of the RNA code, by ribosomes,
to make proteins
• Translation is often called protein synthesis
Protein
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* International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
Wikipedia – Genetic Code 23 February 2016
Translation
• Translation is the reading of the RNA code, by ribosomes,
to make proteins
• Translation is often called protein synthesis
Protein
Genetic Similarities (%)
Human to
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human – 99.5
chimpanzees - 96 to 98
cows - 80
mouse - 75
fruit fly – 60
chickens – 60
wine grape 24
bakers yeast - 18
Cats to
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humans - 90
dogs - 82
cows – 80
chimpanzees – 70
rats - 69
mice - 67
http://www.eupedia.com
National Geographic - http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2013/07/125-explore/shared-genes
Plant & Animal Improvement Methods
• Traditional “cross-breeding”:
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Cross two individuals from the same or sexually compatible species
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Produces new organism with mixture of parental traits
• Mutagenesis:
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Stable modification of genes through mutagens (e.g., Gamma rays, chemicals)
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Not a transgenic approach
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Changes the DNA sequences without any new insertion
• Marker-Assisted Selection:
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Use genetic tools to speed traditional cross-breeding processes but is not GM
• Transformation/Transgenics:
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Adding a foreign gene, or RNA segment, to any organism
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May be from same species (non-sexually compatible) or different species
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Several techniques to introduce genes or RNA
New techniques to turn off RNA within an organism
Gregor Mendel (1800s) determined the genetic cause
of different pea phenotypic traits
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origin_of_the_domestic_dog
Four new dog breeds added to
American Kennel Club – Dec 2014
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Spanish Water Dog
Cirneco dell'Etna
Bergamasco
Boerboel
Marker-assisted Selection
• Marker assisted selection (MAS) is an indirect
selection process where a trait is selected, not
based on the physical manifestation of the
trait itself, but on a marker linked to it
• very efficient selection systems (by
magnitudes) that replace/supplement
traditional phenotype-based selection systems
• Can select in the lab for disease resistance,
quality traits, color traits, and any other
characteristic that has a simple genetic linkage
MAS in the OSU Wheat Breeding Program
All early generation experimental lines are tested
for these genetic traits:
• Quality traits – PPO, kernel hardness,
glutenin composition, seed color, preharvest
sprouting
• Production traits - heading date,
vernalization requirement, photoperiod
sensitivity, herbicide resistance
• Disease resistance - stripe rust, soilborne
mosaic virus, barley yellow dwarf virus,
footrot
Gene
Also called Intragenesis
Modified from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Breeding_transgenesis_cisgenesis.svg
Transgenic Organisms
• Also known as genetically modified or
GM
• A transgenic organism contains a gene
or genes which have been artificially
inserted instead of acquiring these
through “normal” processes
• The inserted gene sequence
(transgene) may come from another
similar or unrelated organism
• Throughout history, microbes, plants
and animals have been genetically
modified from their original wild state
– GM allows greater accuracy and
speed in this process
GloFish – jellyfish gene
ArticApple – RNAi
Transgenic Organisms with
Little Societal Pushback
• Most insulin used today is GM
• A number of cancer drugs used today were
discovered in nature but are now produced
through GM means - taxol
• Nearly all commercially grown papayas in Hawaii
are GM – ringspot virus resistance – HI industry
would have been nearly destroyed without GM
varieties
• Initial releases of male sterile Aedes species
mosquitoes in Brazil (Zika virus carriers)
• Difference seems to be “need” vs. want
GM Pros in Crops
• Enhanced farming capability from grower and
food production perspectives = more and cheaper
food
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Herbicide resistance
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Pest resistance
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Cold tolerance
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Drought tolerance
• Increased nutritional content in foods – Golden
Rice (beta carotene/vitamin A)
• Potential to produce edible vaccines (Hep-B, TB, etc.)
• Reduce world hunger and improve health
GM Cons
• Concern that GM foods may diminish the
world’s biodiversity and diminish food supply
in the long run – a real concern
• Concern about super weeds and other pests –
a real, growing concern
• Concern that unintentional gene-flow will
contaminate non-GM organisms – a real
concern (our Jackson County Oregon debate)
GM Cons
• Millions of people are already allergic to proteins
in nuts, fish, etc. GM products may add
unconventional proteins that could spark
unknown reactions – we don’t know if this is real
concern
• Consumers, are unsure that current government
regulatory processes provide needed protection
• Some are concerned that GMs allow creation of
food oligarchies – some evidence for this
In Russ’ World, Conversations About
GMs Would Include
• Overall pros and cons of a specific GM
• Type of risk with a specific GM
• Level of risk with a specific GM
• Level of certainty in the science behind a
specific GM
• Societal concerns – equity, choice, social
justice
Concept of Eco-Imperialism
• Eco-imperialism is a term coined by Paul
Driessen
• Concept = forceful imposition of Western
environmentalist views on developing
countries
• Driessen argues that like earlier European
imperialists, today’s eco-imperialists keep
developing countries “destitute” for the
benefit of the developed world
Thoughts on GM Labeling
• Consider what information you want a food
label to tell you
• Original food labels were content based and
give you specific, quantitatively measured
nutritional information
• Organically grown is a process label – implies
content but gives no quantitative guarantee
• Country of origin is an informational label –
imparts social/political information
Thoughts on GM Labeling
• Over 75% of the processed foods on the
market in the U.S. today contain ingredients
derived from GM crops (Center for Food Safety 2016)
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Those with proteins – corn flour, soy flour, soy
milk, etc.
Those with no proteins – high fructose corn syrup,
corn oil, soy oil, lecithin
• Do you want a specific content or a process
label?
Thoughts on GM Labeling
• Issue may have been partially resolved
• Vermont law went into effect on July 1, 2016
– words “produced with” or “partially produced with” GM
ingredients would have been on label
• But Congress then passed and President signed a
federal bill on July 20 that supersedes all state laws
• Requires yet to be determined labeling (USDA has
two years to determine specifics). Can be label per
se or allows GMO notification to be through Quick
Response (QR) codes or 1-800 number
Russ’ World - GM Content Labels
• May contain cell material or proteins from a
GM organism (akin to the nut processing
plant label – warning when not absolutely
sure)
• Contains cell material or proteins from a
GM organism
Thoughts on GM Labeling
• Campbell Soup - first major food company to
disclose the presence of GM in Jan 2016
• Mars, General Mills, Kellogg, ConAgra are
following
All things in moderation
• There have been and will be instances when we
will need GM organisms – Zika virus, Citrus greening
disease, UG99 stem rust in wheat
• There are parts of the developing world where
GM crops could improve life dramatically –
vitamin crops, vaccine crops, Striga-resistant corn
– should we deny others?
• Need to develop mechanisms for thoughtful
consideration of use of GM organisms (and to
address other major environmental issues)
For more information on biotechnology
from an OSU College of Agricultural Sciences
perspective, see this website:
http://agbiotech.oregonstate.edu/
OSU College of
Agricultural
Sciences
OSU – Your Land Grant University
• A 150+ year old idea
• Combine research, teaching and extension at
universities
• Extension = science-based information locally
delivered (4H, Master Gardeners, expt. stations)
• Statewide public service programs are separately
funded from OSU budget – we need public
support to maintain funding for programs that
fuel a significant part of our state economy and
add to quality of life in Oregon
Questions?