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World Scientists' Warning on the Dangers of GE Foods & Crops
World Scientists' Warning on the Dangers of Genetically Engineered Organisms
================================
Date Posted: 09/23/1999
================================
please find below the second update of the World Scientists' Statement,
beginning with a list of signatories and including new evidence of
hazards, plus news.
Angela Ryan
ISIS
World Scientists' Statement
World Scientists' Statement launched in Cartegena, Columbia, during the
UN
Convention of Biological Diversity Conference on the International
Biosafety Protocol, calling on all governments to:
* Impose an immediate moratorium on further environmental releases of
transgenic crops, food and animal-feed products for at least 5 years.
* Ban patents on living organisms, cell lines and genes.
* Support a comprehensive, independent public enquiry into the future
of agriculture and food security for all, taking account of the full
range
of scientific findings as well as socioeconomic and ethical
implications.
Sign on at our website: <<www.i-sis.dircon.co.uk>
Signed (118 scientists from 24 countries):
Angela Fehringer, Anthropology Student, Austria
Dr. Ted Steele, Molecular Immunologist, U. Wollengong, Australia
Dr Farhad Mazhar, Ecologist, New Agricultural Movement, Bangladesh
Renata Menasche MSc, Agronomist, Federal Un. of Rio Grand du Sol,
Brazil
Dr Thomas R. Preston, Un. of Tropical Agriculture, Cambodia
Prof. David Suzuki, Geneticist, U.B.C., Canada
Prof. Joe Cummins, Geneticist, University of Western Ontario, Canada
Dr Warren Bell, MD, Canad. Assoc. of Physicians for the Environ.,
Canada
Prof. Abby Lippman, Epidemologist & Geneticist, McGill Un. Canada
Prof. Ronald Labonte, Population Health Research Director, Ontario,
Canada
Prof. Marijan Jost, Plant Geneticist, Agricultural College, Krizevci,
Croatia
Prof Anton Vajger, Un Zagreb Medical School, Croatia
Vesna Samobor, M.Sc. Agricultural College, Krizevci, Croatia
Damir Magdic, M.Sc. Food Scientist, Osijek Un, Croatia
Damjan Bogdanovic, PhD candidate, Un Zagreb, Croatia
Dr. Tewolde Egziabher, Agronomist, Min. of the Environment, Ethiopia
Dr. Herve Le Meur, Biomathematician, Univ. Paris, France
Dr. Christine von Weisaeker, Ecoropa, Germany
Dr Christiane Boecker, MCommH, Community Health, Haiti
Prof. Ervin Laszlo, President, The Club of Buddapest, Hungary
Dr. Vandana Shiva, Research Institute for Science and Ecology, India
Dr. Muhua Achary, Environmentalist, St. Joseph's College, Bangalore,
India
Dr. Bruno D'Udine, Behaviour Ecologist, University of Udine, Italy
Dr Giorgio Cingolani, Agricultural Economist, Italy
Prof. Atuhiro Sibatani, Molecular Biologist, Osaka, Japan
Dr Shiron Sugita, Plant Geneticist, Nagoya U. Japan
Dr Noeoru Tagishita, Plant Geneticist, Jap. Assoc. Agro-Nature, Tokyo,
Japan
Dr. Shingo Shibata, Biosafety and Environmental Sociologist, Japan
Dr Machiko Yasukohchi, PLAN - International Japan Public Relations Team,
Japan
Jaroen Compeerapap, Environmental Law and Development Center, The
Netherlands
Dr Robert Mann, Ecologist, Auckland, New Zealand
Prof. Terje Traavik, Virologist, University of Tromso, Norway
Dr Ingrid Olesen, Senior Research Scientist, Institute of Aquaculture
Res. Ltd, Norway
Prof. Oscar B. Zamora, Agronomist, U. Phillipines, Los Banos,
Phillipines
Dr. Pamela G. Fernadez, Agronomist, U. Phllipines, Los Banos,
Phillipines
Dr Gregorio Alvar, Biotechnologist,. Computense U. Madrid, Spain
Dr. Javier Blasco, Aragonese Ctr Rural European Information, Spain
Dr. Katarina Leppanen, History of Ideas, Gothenburg Uni, Sweden
Florianne Koechlin, Biologist, World Wildlife Fund, Switzerland
Verena Soldati, Biotechnologist, Basler Appell, Switzerland.
Dr. Daniel Amman, Cell Biologist, Tech. Switzerland
Dr. Ruth Goseth, Dermatologist, ISDE, Switzerland
Yves Schatzle, Agronomist and Economist, Switzerland
Prof. Omboom Luanratana, Pharmacologist, Univ. of Mahedol,
Bangkok,Thailand.
Prof. Arpad Pusztai, Biochemist, Formerly from Rowett Institute, UK
Dr. Susan Bardocz, Geneticist, Aberdeen, UK
Dr. Colin L.A. Leakey, Plant Geneticist, Cambridge, UK
Dr. Harash Narang, Pathologist, BSE expert, UK
Prof. Richard Lacey, Microbiologist, Leeds, UK
Dr. Michael Antoniou, Molecular Geneticist, Guy's Hospital, UK
Dr David A.D. Birley, GP, Swindon, UK
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho, Geneticist and Biophysicist, Open University, UK
Dr J. M. Kerr, Bioethics, Winchester College: Oxford U. UK
Fatima Pelica, Biochemist, PhD Candidate, JII, UK
Dr Tom Wakeford, Biologist, U. of East London, UK
Peter Preston Jones, MSc, Environomental Campaigner, UK
Prof. Brian Goodwin, Biologist, Schumacher College, UK
Dr. Patrick Holden Director Soil Association, UK
Dr. Eva Novotny, Biologist, Univ. Cambridge (retired), UK
Prof. Ian Stewart, Biomathematics, U. Warwick, UK
Dr. Vyvyan Howard, Toxipathologist, U. Liverpool, UK
Prof. Peter Saunders, Biomathematician, U. London, UK
Prof. Tim Ingold, Anthropologist, U. Manchester, UK
Dr. Robert C. Poller, Organic Chemist, U. London, UK
Gordon Daly P.hD student, Gene Therapist, Kennedy Inst. London, UK
Stuart Daly P.hD student, Transgenic group, Charing Cross Hosp. UK
Dr. John E. Hammond, Engineer, Highfeild, UK
Dr. Philip Kilner, Cardiologist, Royal Brompton & Harefield, UK
Dani Kaye M.Sc. Scientists for Global Responsibility London, UK
David Kaye M.Sc. Scientists for Global Responsibility, London, UK
Angela Ryan, Molecular biologist, Open Univ. UK
Prof. David Packham, Material Scientist, U. Bath, UK
Dr. David J Heaf, Biochemist, Wales, UK
Dr. Alan Currier, Taxonomist, IRBV, UK
Dr. Gesa Staats de Yanes, Veterinarian Toxicologists, U. Liverpool, UK
Barbara Wood-Kaczmar, M.Sc., Science w riter, UK
Dr. Gene S. Thomas, Agriculturist, UK
Dr. David A.H. Birley, General Medical Practitioner, Swindon, UK
Prof. Martha Crouch, Biologist, Indiana University, USA
Prof. Ruth Hubbard, Biologist, Harvard University, USA
Prof. Phil Bereano, Council for Responsible Genetics, U. Washington USA
Prof. Martha Herbert , Pediatric Neurologist, Mass. Gen. Hosp. USA
Prof. David Schartzman, Biologist, Howard U. Washington DC USA
Prof. John Garderineer, Biologist, U. Michigan USA
Dr. Britt Bailey, Senior Researcher, CETOS, Ca, USA
Dr. Marc Lappe, Geneticist and Director CETOS, Ca, USA
Dr Walter Bortz, Physician, Palo Alto, USA
Dr. Mahua Acharya, Biologist, USA
Anne-Marie Mayer, Ph. D. candidate, Nutrition, Cornell Univ., USA
Dr. Catherine Badley, Biologist, University of Michigan USA
Dr. Gerald Smith, Zoologist, U. Michigan, USA
Vuejuin McKersen M.Sc, Natural Resource Manager U. Michigan, USA
Dr. John Soluri, Historian of Science, Carnegie Mellon U USA
Juiet S Erazo PhD student U. of Michigan USA
Dr. Juette Peufecto, Biologist, U of Michigan USA
U.V. Kutzli Ph.D. Candidate, U of Michigan USA
Kristin Cobelius M.Sc. Student, U. Michigan USA
Lena S Nicolai PhD Student University of Michigan USA
Marial Peelle, Biol./Anthropologist Undergrad. Swarthmors College USA
Dr. Ty Fitzmorris, Ecologist, Hampshire College USA
Dr. Caros R Ramirez, Biologist, St Lawrance University USA
Rosa Vazquez Student in Biology, Ohio State University USA
Sean Lyman Student Gettysbury College USA
Ryan White Student St Lawrence University USA
Dr Jack Kloppenburg, Un. Wisconsin, Rural Sociologist, USA
Dr. Nancy A Schult, Entomologist, U of Wisconsin-Madison USA
Dr. Brian Schultz, Ecologist, Hampshire College USA
Dr. Douglas H Boucher, Ecologist, Hood College USA
Dr. Timothy Mann, Geographer, Hampshire College
Chris Picone M.Sc. Soil Microbiologist, U. Michigan USA
Dr. Peter M. Rosset, Ins. for Food and Development Policy, USA
Dr. Ignacio Chapela, Microbiologist & Ecologist, U.C. Berkeley, USA
Dr. Michael Fox, Veterinarian and Bioethicist, USA
Dr. Ingrid C. Northwood, Biochemist, Simon Fraser University, USA
Prof. Ed Daniel, Health Sciences Centre, McMaster University, Ca, USA
Dr Linda Jean Sheperd, Biochemist, Gaia Blessings, USA
Dr Herve Grenier, Atmospheric Sciences and Climate Change, Univ.
Washington,USA
U.V. Kutzli Ph.D. Candidate, U of Michigan USA
<bold><bigger><bigger><bigger><bigger>
World Scientists' Statement
Update #2 (22.9.99)
Written and compiled by
Mae-wan Ho and Angela Ryan
Institute of Science in Society
Biology Department Open University
Walton Hall Milton Keynes MK7 6AA
A. Biopatents
1. African group tables important proposal at the World Trade Organisation
which may revoke and ban biopatents. The full proposal can be found at the
WTO website.
The African group questions TRIPS requirement for mandatory patenting of
some life forms and some natural processes. They propose that all plants,
animals and microorganisms should not be patentable. They seek
clarification that "sui generis" system of plant varieties protection can
include systems that protect the intellectual rights of indigenous and
farming communities. They have also asked for TRIPs to be made to harmonize
with the biodiversity convention and the FAO's International Undertaking on
Plant Genetic Resources.
This proposal is most significant. ISIS have given it our wholehearted
support, as it may lead to international agreement that all biopatents will
be banned.
Please support the African Group's position by sending your name,
organization and address to <underline>twnet@po.jaring.my</underline> , so
that the issue can be
made high priority for the WTO Seattle Conference December 2-3, 1999.
2. Anglo-American Agreement to protect Human Genes
British Prime Minister Tony Blair has initiated an extraordinary deal with
US President Bill Clinton to negotiate an Anglo-American agreement to
protect the 100,000 genes of the human body. The deal aims to prevent
entrepreneurs profiting from gene patents and to ensure that the benefits of
research are freely available world wide to combat or even eliminate
diseases.
The two leaders aim to ensure that the world's largest medical charity, the
British-based charity, Wellcome Trust, and the US government's National
Institute of Health, publicize gene-sequences within 24 hours of their
discovery - so that the benefits accrue entirely to the public. It is
thought that research institutions, universities or laboratories would be
obliged to waive their rights to patent their work in the public interest.
ISIS welcome this move by Blair and Clinton. The next step is to prevent all
living organisms, seeds, genes and cell lines from being patentable.
B. New Evidence of Hazards and Potential New Hazards
1. The human mouth and pharyngx contain bacteria that can take up and
express transgenic DNA, including antibiotic resistance marker genes. This
confirms the ability of transgenic DNA to spread by horizontal gene
transfer.
The findings: A genetically engineered plasmid was found to survive
(6 to 25%) up to 60 min. of exposure to human saliva. Partially degraded
plasmid DNA was capable of transforming Streptococcus gordonii, one of the
bacteria that normally live in the human mouth and pharynx and are naturally
transformable. The frequency of tranformation dropped exponentially with
time of exposure to saliva, but it was still greater than 10-7 after 10
mins. Transformations were also obtained when plasmid DNA was mixed directly
with filter-sterilised human saliva. Approximately 107 transformants were
obtained per microgram plasmid DNA. Whole (unfiltered) saliva had a
background of erthyromycin-resistant bacteria, but transformation of the
test strain occurred nevertheless at a high frequency of 10-4 of all
colonies of S. gordonii isolated. Human saliva contains factors that promote
competence of resident bacteria to become transformed by 'free' or 'naked'
DNA.
Our comment: Transgenic DNA from food is unlikely to be completely
broken down in the mouth, and may transform bacteria normally present in the
mouth. One main danger is the uptake of transgenic DNA containing antibiotic
resistance marker genes by the bacteria, but other genes and novel
constructs involving viral promoters/enhancers may also be hazardous.
Reference: Mercer, D.K., Scott, K.P., Bruce-Johnson, W.A. Glover, L.A. and
Flint, H.J. (1999). Fate of free DNA and transformation of the oral
bacterium Streptococcus gordonii DL1 by plasmid DNA in human saliva. Applied
and Environmental Microbiology 65, 6-10.
2. Special Report comissioned by UK Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and
Food (UK MAFF) shows that DNA is not readily degraded by most commercial
processing procedures. Animal feeds are likely to contain gene-size DNA
fragments. One main conclusion is that there is significant risk of
transmitting transgenes in the gut of farm animals, and recommends against
using ensilaged GM crops as animal feed.
The findings: Samples of oil seed, linseeds, soya and wheat were
analysed for DNA fragments after various treatments. Grinding and milling
left DNA largely intact, as did treatment with dry heat for 30 mins. at 90
deg. C. Degradation to less than 100bp occurred only after treatment with
dry heat at 96 deg.C or moist heat at 93 deg. C. DNA was completely stable
in silage.
Reference: Forbes, J.M., Blair, D.E., Chiter, A. and Perks, A.
(1998). Effect of Feed Processing Conditions on DNA Fragmentation Section 5
- Scientific Report,
UK Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food, London.
Our Comment: It should not be assumed that processed food contains
no DNA. The degradation of DNA is defined as less than 100bp. We now know
that (see below) nucleic acids as small as 25bp can stimulate autoimmune
reactions.
3. Gene therapy and naked DNA vaccines can trigger autoimmune reactions. New
research shows that any fragment of double-stranded (ds) DNA or RNA
introduced into cells can induce these reactions. (Thanks to Brian Goodwin
for drawing our attention to this item.)
The findings: Immune reactions are normally mounted by white blood
cells against substances (antigens) foreign to the body, and involve the
expression of many different genes. Autoimmune diseases are associated with
abnormal reactions of other cells directed against the body's own
constituents, and can be triggered by viral infections. Autoimmune diseases
can be specific to organs or cells, examples are rheumatoid arthritis,
insulin-dependent diabetes and Graves disease of the thyroid. The
researchers found that introducing any fragment of dsDNA or dsRNA into the
cells by transfection stimulate the abnormal expression of major
histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and class II genes as well as other
genes involved in presenting antigens on the surface of the cell membrane.
This in turn induces activation of immune cells against the
antigen-presenting cells. The effects were indifferent to the sequence of
nucleic acid introduced, so long as it is double-stranded; and fragments as
short as 25 base pairs were effective. The authors conclude, "This
phenomenon may contribute to the development of autoimmunity when plasmid
DNA is introduced during gene therapy and may be important when dsDNA is
used in plasmid DNA vaccinations."
Reference: Suzuki, K., Mori, A., Ishii, K.J., Singer, D.S., Klinman,
D.M., Krause, P.R. and Kohn, L.D. (1999). Activation of target-tissue
immune-recognition molecules by double-stranded polynucleotides. Proc. Natl.
Acad. Sci. USA 96, 2285-90.
Our comment: This research not only raises serious safety concerns
over gene therapies and the use of naked DNA vaccines, it also emphasises
the need to regulate the ever-increasing use of all kinds of naked DNA and
RNA such as plasmids and vectors and to prevent their discharge into the
environment. In view of the fact that fragments as small as 25bp can
stimulate autoimmune reactions, naked DNA or RNA should be fully degraded
before being discharged.
4. A scientist from the Center for Complex Infectious Diseases in Rosemead,
California, claims to have found a new virus associated with chronic fatique
syndromes which is part bacteria. Could genetic engineering have contributed
to creating it?
The findings: More than 50 bacterial genes were found in a virus
isolated from patients with various chronic fatique syndromes. The scientist
regards this as a new organism and coined the term, "viteria" to describe
the hybrid virus-bacteria. The virus most closely resembles a
cytomegalovirus. And top of the list of bacteria from which the virus has
captured genes are E. coli and Bacillus subtilis.
Our comment: This new discovery should be seen in the light of a
report on the possible links between genetic engineering biotechnology and
the resurgence of infectious diseases co-authored by seven scientists, four
of whom have signed onto the World Scientists' Statement (Ho, M.W., Traavik,
T., Olsvik, R., Tappeser, B., Howard, V., von Weizsacker, C. and McGavin, G.
(1998). Gene technology and gene ecology of infectious diseases. Microbial
Ecology in Health and Disease 10, 33-59.) The report was among the top ten
'Project Censored' stories in 1998. It drew attention to, among other
things, pathogenicity islands coding for many virulence genes that transfer
horizontally as a unit, so non-pathogens can be converted into pathogens in
a single step.These pathogenicity islands are thought to have originated
from bacterial viruses which have integrated into bacterial genomes and
picked up a range of virulence genes. They are highly mosaic, consisting of
parts of plasmids and bacteria, particularly of those parts that might have
been assembled into artificial vectors for genetic manipulation. Could
genetic engineering have inadvertently contributed to creating pathogenicity
islands? Could the newly discovered 'viteria' be pathogenicity islands that
have gained independent existence as infectious particles? These are
question which urgently need to be addressed. Cytomegalovirus, which the
viteria most resembles, is one of the first viruses to be used as vector in
genetic manipulation of animals, while E. coli and B. subtilis the top two
bacteria from which it has acquired genes are also the two most commonly
used bacteria in genetic engineering.
Reference: Martin, W.J. (1999). Bacteria-related sequences in a
simian cytomegalovirus-derived stealth virus culture. Experimental and
Molecular Pathology 66, 8-14.
5. A new genetic engineering technique, 'chimeroplasty' claims to overcome
the current hit or miss transgenic technology that results in random gene
insertions and rearrangements; instead, it can change a single base at a
predetermined position in a specific gene in the plant cell. But it may not
be as precise as claimed and introduces new dangers. (Thanks to Suzanne
Wuerthiele for drawing our attention to this paper.)
The findings: A technique of directed gene conversion involves
introducing a palindromic inverted repeat of a sequence of 25 bases composed
of DNA and modified RNA residues, which forms a stable hairpin. The sequence
is homologous to that of the target gene, except for the base to be
substituted, which is in the middle of the sequence of 25 bases. When
introduced into the cells by a gun that shoots tiny gold particles coated
with the hairpins, the hairpins will basepair with both strands of the
target sequence in the gene. DNA mismatch repair enzymes will then convert
the sequence of the gene to that specified by the hairpin. Using this
technique, the researchers attempted to convert a gene in tobacco coding for
the enzyme acetolactate synthase to a herbicide-resistance phenotype, by
changing the codon (CCA) for proline at amino-acid position 196 to CAA for
glutamine and CTA for leucine respectively, with two different hairpin
constructs. The results show that the target sequence was converted, but not
at the base intended. Conversions were at neighbouring bases. For example,
ACA for threonine was obtained instead of CAA intended, and TCA for serine
resulted, as well as ACA and TCA instead of the intended CTA. Another
complication is that the gene is capable of undergoing spontaneous mutations
to herbicide resistance. The directed mutation rates were up to 20-fold
those in controls, but were variable from experiment to experiment.
Our comment: It is very unlikely that the technique is as precise as
claimed. The mere act of introducing nucleic acid sequences into the cells
by bombardment with a particle-gun will trigger injury responses that can
cause nonspecific recombination. In addition, the technique depends on
imprecise basepairing between the target sequence and the introduced
hairpin. Can one be sure that nontarget sequences are never affected? The
hairpins themselves are a hazard to biodiversity and health if released into
the environment. All kinds of unintended gene conversions could take place
in species exposed to the constructs, including human beings.
Reference: Beetham, P.R., Kipp, P.B., Sawycky, X.L., Arntzen, C.J.
and May, G.D. (1999). A tool for functional plant genomics: Chimeric RNA/DNA
oligonucleotides cause in vivo gene-specific mutations. PNAS 96, 8774-8778.
6. "The Herbicide, Glufosinate, used with millions of acres of GM crops
including corn, canola and soy, causes birth defects on exposure of father
alone as well as mother!" submitted by Joe Cummins
Joe Cummins has written a number of previous notes on the danger of
the herbicide ,glufosinate, used with GM and normal crops and on the false
claims
by officials of EU , US and Canada that the herbicide has no harmful side
effects. The previous evidence showed that pregnant females fed food
containing the herbicide gave birth to children with birth defects, as well
as defects in behavior and learning. Learning defects were also experienced
by young children exposed to the herbicide. Recent studies showed that
fathers exposed to glufosinate gave birth to children with birth defects
while most other pesticides did not produce the same effect.
Reference: Garcia,A.,Benavides,F.,Fletcher,T. and Orts,E. (1998).
Paternal exposure to pesticides and congenital malformations. Scand J Work
Environ Health 24, 473-80.
Joe Cummins comments: The glufosinate birth defects suggest that the large
chemical companies have undue influence over government bureaucrats . Such
bureaucrats turn their backs on clear evidence of danger from pesticides
and promote dangerous genetic engineering.
7. A new study looks at the prevalence and spatial distribution of viruses
in natural populations and discusses the implications of widespread
multiple viral infections in natural plant population with respect to the
release of transgenic plants expressing virus-derived genes.
A quote from this paper: " The presence of transgenic virus
resistant plants expressing viral proteins or virus-derived nucleic acids
introduces a substantially new dimension into the dynamics of plant-virus
co-evolution, even though virus-derived nucleic acids are normal
constituents of plant populations. There is a possibility that the spread
of virus-derived transgenes through seed and pollen will substantially alter
the distribution of viral nucleic acids, for example, gene flow might reduce
temporal and spatial variation in the incidence of virus-derived nucleic
acids and so increase the potential for recombination."
Reference: Raybould et al (1999) The prevalence and spatial distribution of
viruses in natural population of Brassica oleracea . New Phytol 141, 265
275
6. "Virus-Resistant Crops Could Help Weeds" Says Professor Alison Power.
Genetic engineering cereals to resist the barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV)
might indirectly cause farmers difficulties in controlling related weeds. A
report presented at the Ecological Society of America1s annual meeting
indicates that the resistance engineered into oats could spread to wild
oats, a weed. Transgenic barley and oats that can resist BYDV have been
developed, but there is concern that because these crops can hybridize with
wild relatives, that the introduced genes will escape into related weeds.
Alison Power, an ecologist at Cornell University says that if wild oats gain
resistance to BYDV, they could become a much larger problem for farmers, and
might also disrupt natural habitats, outcompeting other native species.
Power grew oats and wild oats in greenhouses and infected them with the
BYDV. She found that infected wild oats did not perform well: they were much
thinner and had shorter roots than uninfected controls and infected oats.
Infected wild oats also produced fewer seeds than normal. "A BYDV-resistant
transgene transfer seems likely to help wild oat survivability," concludes
Power.
Reference: Contact: Alison Power, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary
Biology,E331A Corson Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853,USA.
7. An independent study conducted by Dr Marc lappe at CETOS, has shown that
the phytoestrogen concentrations in two varieties of GM herbicide tolerant
soyabeans were reduced by an average of 12-14 % compared to their non GM
counterparts.
Most of the reduction was attributable to reductions in genistin and to a
lesser extent
diadzin levels, which were significantly lower in modified compared to
conventional soybeans in both strains.
(Thanks to Dr Michael Antoniou for forwarding this paper)
Soyabean-based food products are of growing medical interest as they
contain two key biologically active ingredients, notably genistin and
diadzin, which are phytoestrogens. A number of studies have indicated that
phytoestrogen content of ingested soybeans can modify the pathogenesis of
some hormone-dependent and hormone-independent diseases and may constitute a
natural estrogen replacement therapy in post menopausal women. In the
United States approximately one half of the 1998 soyabean crop consisted of
GM, herbicide-tolerant soyabeans, of which 33% are slated for export, thus
the phytoestrogen content of GM soyabeans is of international interest
Given the high biological potency of isoflavones and their metabolic
conversion products, these data suggest genetically modified soybeans may be
less potent sources of clinically relevant phytoestrogens than their
conventional precursors. In order to ensure uniformity of clinical results
the scientists who conducted this study strongly suggest there is a need to
establish baselines of expected isoflavone levels in transgenic and
conventional soy products so as such data will be available when making
clinical decisions.
Reference: Lappe et al (1999) Alterations in Clinically Important
Phytoestrogens in Genetically Modified, Herbicide-Tolerant Soybeans.
Journal of Medicinal Food, Vol 1, no 4.
Our comment: The unpredictability in the composition of GM crop
plants is highlighted by this study and further confirms the inadequacy of
the regulatory protocols, which rely on the principle of 'substantial
equivalence' for approving GM crops and products.
8. An investigative safety assessment study carried out at the Scottish
Crop Research Institute in Dundee (completed in 1997) has shown that
Agrobacterium used in the production of GMOs is a possible vehicle for gene
escape, or horizontal gene transfer.
The findings: The study shows that the use of frequently used
antibiotics, carbenicillin, ticaracillin and cefotaxime failed to eliminate
contamination of Agrobacterium even after 13 months of repeated subculture
from transformed and weaned plants. Furthermore a significant percentage
(12.5%) of Agrobacterium containing the binary vector was detected in tissue
culture after six months, even without selection pressure being maintained.
The MAFF, R&D Surveillance report No. 395 states that:
" The presence (contamination with) of disarmed (but foreign gene
containing) Agrobacterium in GMO plant tissues would not represent a risk if
the binary vector had been 'lost', but the discovery that it survives, even
without selection advantage, indicates that gene spread is a real
possibility."
The presence of latent Agrobacterium was also observed during the tissue
culture phase of GMO production. The scientists who conducted this study
stress the need for sampling tissues for contamination and not merely
relying on the lack of visual symptoms. They strongly suggest that such
procedure should be adopted routinely, for in the case of Agrobacterium,
sampling is the only reliable method of indicating contamination.
References: McNicole et al (1997) The Possibility of
Agrobacterium as a Vehicle for Gene Escape. MAFF. R&D and Surveillance
Report: 395.
Carol Barrett et al (1997). A risk assessment study of plant genetic
transformation using Agrobacterium and implications for analysis of
trangenic plants. Plant Cell. Tissue and Organ Culture 47: 135-144.
Our Comment: It is claimed that other more effective antibiotics
are now used to eliminate Agrobacterium from GM plant material and the above
mentioned sampling procedures are now thought to be implemented. But,
before the results of the above study became available, it is likely that
most GM plants transformed by Agrobacterium were contaminated with residual
Agrobacterium containing antibiotic resistance genes. Most of the present
generation of GM crops commercially grown or being field-tested were, in
fact, created before the results of this study were published and therefore
carry this risk. The above study demonstrates that major flaws in safety
assessments are being uncovered only after the products have been approved.
9. A new study on the effects of a genetically engineered microorganism
(GEM) on soil biota and plant growth has shown that GEMs can persist under
conditions found in some soil ecosystems for long enough periods of time to
stimulate major changes in soil biota that could affect nutrient cycling
processes. Nematode community composition and plant growth were also
affected following the introduction of the GEM.
Reference: Holmes M T et al (1999). Effects of Klebsiella
planticola SDF20 on soil biota and wheat growth in sandy soil. Applied Soil
Ecology 11 (1999) 67-78
Our comment: Further investigations are needed to determine the
long term effects of these observations and whether the release of GEMs have
a viable future. The potential for an ecological effect to occur after the
release of GEMs is now apparent and of global concern.
And now the goood news...
10. Non-functional genes in patients with Fanconi anaemia undergo
corrective mutations spontaneously to restore normal function. These are the
latest examples of functional corrections that can occur in a range of
different hereditary defects which show how fluid and dynamic genes and
genomes are. Molecular geneticists should investigate the physiological and
environmental factors favouring such functional corrections of defective
genes instead of concentrating exclusively on changing and transferring
genes.
(Thanks to Wytz de Lange for drawing attention to this paper.)
The findings: Somatic cells in individuals with non-functional
pathogenic alleles (forms of a gene) have recently been discovered to revert
spontaneously to functional, wild-type alleles. The best known mechanisms
occur in heterozygous patients, ie, patients with two different alleles of
the gene and involves recombination within the gene during ordinary cell
division, in which the two alleles present exchange parts, or gene
conversion, in which the functional allele converts the non-functional. New
mechanisms of corrections are described for non-functional alleles in
homozygous patients (those with two identical alleles). Frameshift alleles
in two different patients were restored to the correct reading frame, in one
case, by deletions of two single base-pairs, and in the second, by insertion
of 5 base-pairs. A missense mutation in another patient (T to G in position
1749) was compensated by a C to T mutation in position 1748. Although the
protein in all three cases differed in amino-acid sequence from the
wild-type, they were functionally equivalent to the wild-type.
Our comment: These are the latest examples of the fluidity of genes
and genomes which has completely invalidated the genetic determinist science
driving and promoting genetic engineering biotechnology. Evidence
accumulating since the mid 1970s indicates that there is nothing constant
about genes and genomes.The new observations that even nonfunctional genes
can revert to functional wild-type or wild-type equivalents take genomic
fluidity one step further. Rather than concentrating exclusively on changing
and transferring genes, molecular geneticists ought to direct their
attention to the physiological and environmental factors that favour the
regulation of gene function and structure in the whole organism, even to the
extent of correcting the structure of non-functional genes.
Reference: Waisfisz, Q., Morgan, N.V., Savino, M., et al (1999).
Spontaneous functional correction of homozygous Fanconi anaemia alleles
reveals novel mechanistic basis for reverse mosaicism. Nature Genetics 22,
379-383
C. New Postings on ISIS website: www.i-sis.dircon.co.uk
1. Draft Open Letter to all governments from world scientists to be
presented to WTO conference in Seattle, Washington, December 2-3, 1999. It
re-iterates our World Scientists' Statement call for a 5 year moratorium and
a ban on biopatents.
We are encouraging other scientists to sign on and non-Government
organisations to endorse our Statement and Letter. Either sign onto
Statement on
our website, or e-mail us at <underline>i-sis@dircon.co.uk
</underline><<<underline><color><param>0000,0000,fefe</param>mailto:i-sis@dircon
.co.uk</color></underline>>
2. From BSE to GMO - What Have We Learned? by Dr. Harash Narang, with
Introduction by Angela Ryan.
This is a new ISIS publication in collaboration with the Millenium Debate,
due to be released 26 September, 1999.
3. The precautionary principle by Dr. Vyvyan Howard and Prof. Peter
Saunders,
Published in Nature correspondence, 16 September, 1999.
4. Head to Head, by Mae-Wan Ho, to appear in Sovereign magazine.
5. No to GMO, Civil Society versus Corporate Empire, talk presented in
Progressive Farm Leaders Summit on Genetic Manipulation and Agriculture,
Coalition of Family Farmers, USA, Mannassas, Virginia, September 11, 1999.