Notes

Genetically modified crops offer more benefits than weeds

Herbicide resistance could provide advantages to plants in the wild.

Credit: Xiao Yang
One of the most common methods used to make crops more resistant to herbicides was shown to be superior over the weedy varieties of rice. This finding suggests that the modifications could have an impact on the environment beyond farm.

Many crops have been genetically engineered to resist glyphosate. This herbicide, first called Roundup, was introduced to the market in 1996 under the tradename Roundup. This makes it possible for farmers to eliminate most herbicides from their fields, without harming their crops.

Glyphosate may hinder the growth of plants by blocking EPSP synase which is an enzyme involved in the production of amino acids, as well as other chemical compounds that comprise about 35% of plant mass. Genetic modification -- employed, for example, in Roundup Ready crops made by the biotech giant Monsanto which is headquartered in St Louis, Missouri -usually includes inserting genes into a crop's genome to increase the production of EPSP synthase. The genes typically come from bacteria infected with plants.

The plant is able to withstand the adverse effects of glyphosate due to the addition of EPSP synthase. Biotechnology labs attempted to utilize genes from plants to boost EPSP synthase production. ラウンドアップ This was done in part to exploit a loophole within US law that permits the regulatory approval of transgenes contained in organisms which have not come from bacteria pests.

There aren't many studies that have examined whether transgenes that confer glyphosate tolerance may -- once they become weedy , or wild relatives through cross-pollinatingcan boost the plant's survival and reproduction. Norman Ellstrand, a University of California plant geneticist says that without selection pressure, any type of transgene could be expected to cause disadvantages in wild plants. The additional machinery could reduce fitness.

Lu Baorong from Fudan University in Shanghai is in the process of challenging this notion. https://rd.listing.yahoo.co.jp/p/search/GU=A4boAGMAADKwHRkOxcMH-ia2zZ-KnQ9iWAosg_to4KDrDGYLv6X_8PRcOdOeUvQf89S3JR109wZx06adn8JABN_6XZ1K2-bLJct9U_jyvhMAbLHY8v21Dy7U12vpvsyeucv_Jp_CU7EUgvQFtlQP7bK-nTAts3KXrm9Gv4cMpQPdlPYrEcJMFEYHY6HlsX48RSHcppmZqSB4upcbJXB2M9Ys3hhcc3LuRaNO99whdFvsLI6FSNB2DUaJPOo7MtWqlxpMUv1nQvalcn4iQAX86xrr9SwgmpqI9Noaw2ysr4gfGBqirDcMeTv8O8amUBSa61tD78YbTY026B1GMtiUf-_WP0JDU1rkX_92_fRiC7yWU-maqgLFlxGkc22DqtHokbDngkj8uDIeemPVndLLWWYrjF68bnke8_DIGIlgq9SLd3cnLDZOZGIkkz2D8a7qR18NddW87tXM7juxZihyz0pinLhPSYGi3bqSukJN--0i2g3U8ZEWd4yTrwKywAuh0f5f71PQgGeL1MDWuhe6Vw3YiL7t0dGr_5HlGlWE_v20mw0PbE-Y2vmvFZqXw5dthTkqEYO8ukMotqzZ0sZoyI_ImDp7vUhCExVbJ6XAqzO-A6UbxdjHT0LO9zQbSA_0W4TQjbfxsQKZtoQ2G0G-XMJiixjkQvAmTYcZ7TcnUHpHwR0e1LY8dvEusvhD8L5UhUZX-1_bPmlzmB5mutH8ejwcPamfq43pMyyNLJYiSgRgMvp87lWLrMzyi0ZAqEWIAW4eUBZfp6hGnMld5kayUyzL4SolKtgm1m7L29yvcz03aECbUR94WUfBQt9FoVvRr0Kag5aYvtZ9OnXwnlb_40xD2YZo9zIc7upthZfJkMEqRLib5qkSbequYPEeg13USQzxpsGSh-MDu3OMjavplErLYSb_eEGYySBaYZgbJti7Ip-qGPzIMHeoZfYYW8PRls6CllkdSAb6Vs-b89i4MfL-eKcKrfnyOcPL3eX0kfEZp0rgnvhdOzi53XlaHSYk5NifAqn1aEYRt8yYZeBQUA;/?ep=A4boAGMAAOMu1PhR56AzrIVG6MIaIYligbC9SZlGUwuCSzyb4XCpUGKGR_2CpE2bLxkZvxekox03YZLzEAseW-VAvLskI-7LRZmS19-KJVktMcOAuchO2JOONvX1tiXjDMZjaBrNrFnehOfENfVRYJJ-y-u0-jjVNOarTkQxfhl8X157V7U2tquFcfJw_aH-EynyRruCHErnwx6LGkixCxbjPvYQbokyrk0L&v=2 The study demonstrates that glyphosate resistance even when applied to the weedy variety of the rice crop could provide a substantial health benefit.

In their study, which was published this month in New Phytologist 1, Lu and his colleagues genetically modified the rice plant to enhance its own EPSP synthase and cross-bred the modified rice with a weedy ancestor.

ラウンドアップ The group then allowed the offspring of cross-breeding to cross-breed with each other to create second-generation hybrids. They were genetically identical apart from the number of EPSP synthase genes they carried. As expected, the ones who had more copies had greater levels of enzymes and produced more amino acid tryptophan when compared to their unmodified counterparts.

ラウンドアップ https://search.yahoo.co.jp/image/search?rkf=2&ei=UTF-8&gdr=1&fr=wsr_gs&p=%E3%83%A9%E3%82%A6%E3%83%B3%E3%83%89%E3%82%A2%E3%83%83%E3%83%97 Researchers also found that transgenics have higher rates, more flowers, and 48 to 125 percent more seeds per plant than nontransgenics.

Lu believes that making the rice weedy less competitive could make it more difficult for farmers who have their land affected by the pest.

Brian Ford-Lloyd (a UK plant geneticist) states that if the EPSP synthase genes are introduced into wild rice species, their genetic diversity that is essential to protect could be at risk. The transgene could be more competitive than natural species. This is one of the most clear examples of plausible harmful effects [of GM crop] on the environment."

The general public believes that genetically modified plants that have more copies of their own genes than those from microorganisms are safer. ラウンドアップ This belief is not supported by the study. ラウンドアップ Lu says that the study "shows that this is not always true".

Researchers have concluded that their findings require a reconsideration of how genetically modified plants are regulated in the near future. Ellstrand says that some people believe biosafety regulations can be relaxed since we have more than two years of genetic engineering. The study found that any new products need to be carefully evaluated.


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