Terrorism in the debate over
genetic research
Toby Bradshaw
College of Forest Resources
and Botany Department
University of Washington
toby@u.washington.edu
Genetic architecture of adaptation in natural
plant populations
• Adaptation to bumblebee or
hummingbird pollinators in
Mimulus
• Adaptation to elevation in
Mimulus
• Adaptation to serpentine soils
in Linanthus
yup
YUP
yup
YUP
N=179
Bumblebees
N=3736
Hummingbirds
yup
YUP
yup
YUP
N=1024
N=182
Bumblebees
Hummingbirds
Linanthus parviflorus
• Annual
• No seed bank
• Outcrossing
Populus
• ‘The people’s tree’
• ~30 species of
poplars, cottonwoods,
and aspen worldwide
• Family Salicaceae,
which includes
willows (Salix) and
Populus
What makes trees so interesting?
• Forest trees contain
most of the Earth’s
terrestrial biomass.
• Forest trees
dominate the most
productive terrestrial
ecosystems.
• Wood is a vital raw
material for industry.
What do we need to study in trees
that can’t be done in Arabidopsis?
• Extensive wood formation
• Juvenile-mature transition
• Crown architecture
• Vegetative dormancy
• Complex ecology and
perennial life history
• Practical applications to
biomass production
The biology of Populus
• Hybrid poplars are the
fastest-growing trees in the
temperate zone
• Most species and hybrids
can be propagated from
cuttings (clones)
• Controlled pollination is
easy; poplars are prolific
From the ELF website
• There was a total of 137 illegal direct
actions in North America in 2001; 72 of
those were for animal liberation, 51 for
earth liberation, and 14 against GMO/GE.
• The firebombing of CUH was the single
biggest ‘direct action’ by the ELF in 2001,
and the second largest ever.
From the ELF communiquè
"Bradshaw, the driving force in
G.E. tree research, continues
to unleash mutant genes into
the environment that is [sic]
certain to cause irreversible
harm to forest ecosystems.
As long as universities
continue to pursue this
reckless 'science,‘ they run
the risk of suffering severe
losses. Our message remains
clear, we are determined to
stop genetic engineering."
US National Research
Council/National Academy of
Sciences position on GE and
conventional plant breeding
“The same physical and biological laws
govern the response of organisms
modified by modern molecular and
cellular methods and those produced
by classical methods.”
From the ELF FAQ
Setting Fires
“The ELF targets have
included such issues as With Electrical
deforestation (for
Timers - An
human development of
Earth
roadways, for luxurious
living and/or recreation
Liberation
areas, for profit by
Front Guide
selling or using trees,
etc.), urban sprawl,
genetic engineering,
natural habitat and
ecosystem destruction,
the use of slave labor by
corporations and more.”
• National Day Of Protests Called Against
Congressional Hearing On EcoTerrorism
Open Call For Direct Action
•
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 14, 2002
• WASHINGTON, DC - A national day of protests have
been scheduled in the U.S. for February 12, 2002, the
same day former Earth Liberation Front spokesperson
Craig Rosebraugh has been subpoenaed to testify
before a Congressional Subcommittee hearing on
Ecoterrorism in Washington, D.C. Protest organizers
have made an open call for direct action on or around
February 12 against the Ecoterrorism meeting and in
support of Rosebraugh, the Earth Liberation Front and
the Animal Liberation Front.
Effects of terrorism on
scientific research
• Attempts to suppress academic freedom
and basic research
• Increases costs of research
• Drives research out of public institutions
and into private hands
• Diverts talented researchers into less
controversial areas
• May negatively impact research funding
Responses to the ELF firebombing at
the Center for Urban Horticulture
• Seattle police and fire departments, along with
CUH staff, saved much of the library
• UW administration supports freedom of academic
inquiry without reservation
• Colleagues offered lab space and resources
• UW administration provided immediate financial
support for faculty, staff, and students
• Corporate donors offered building materials and
cash assistance
• Washington State Legislature appropriated $4.1M
for rebuilding
• The Washington Native Plant Society strongly
condemned the ELF firebombing
The poplar genome
project
Toby Bradshaw
University of Washington
toby@u.washington.edu
Jerry Tuskan
Oak Ridge National
Laboratories
gtk@ornl.gov
The Joyce Kilmer
project
Poems are made by fools
like me, but only God can
make a tree. – JK
If so, we’d like to know
how She did it!
The Populus genome sequence will
overcome many of the limitations
inherent in forest tree genetics
• Long generation interval
• Outcrossing mating system
• Lack of inbred lines
• Lack of efficient mutagenesis
Why sequence the Populus genome?
• Populus is relevant to key DOE missions
• Populus is well suited for structural
genomics
• Functional genomics is far more
powerful in Populus than in any other
forest tree
• A worldwide poplar research community
is ready to make immediate use of the
sequence
• The DOE’s Joint Genome Institute has
the capability to sequence and
assemble large, complex genomes
Populus is relevant to key DOE
missions
• Renewable
energy
• Carbon
sequestration
• Bioremediation
Populus is well suited for structural
genomics
• Relatively small genome of 550Mbp (5X
Arabidopsis, similar to rice, 40X smaller than pine)
• 100K ESTs to be released
http://www.biochem.kth.se/PopulusDB/
• Genetic linkage maps based on large progeny sets
(0.05cM resolution in some cases)
• 10X BAC library of a single P. balsamifera
(trichocarpa) clone ‘Nisqually-1’
• Closely related to Arabidopsis
• JGI to produce 3X shotgun in FY02; 3X shotgun or
minimum BAC tiling path in FY03
Functional genomics is more powerful
in Populus than in any other forest tree
Steve Strauss and Rick Meilan, Tree Genetic Engineering Research Cooperative
Transgenesis will do for trees what
mutagenesis did for Arabidopsis
• Use gene identity (known from DNA
sequence) to determine gene function in vivo
• Comprehensive, unbiased testing of EVERY
ONE of the 25K (50K?) Populus genes and
gene families
• Rational, predictable modification of tree
growth, development, and biochemistry
• GENE >> PHENOTYPE
Gene trapping in transgenic
Populus
• Gene traps to
discover genes
involved in tree
growth and
development
Photo courtesy of Andrew Groover, Institute of Forest Genetics
Urgent research needs for
Populus in the post-sequence era
• Funding for high-throughput transgenesis to
produce a very large collection (N>25,000) of
knock-out and knock-in (KOKI) mutants
• Secure field sites for large-scale screening/testing
of KOKI transgenic trees, accessible to researchers
worldwide
The Populus genome sequence will
revolutionize forest tree biology
What is a GMO?
• Genetically Modified Organism
• Asexual gene (DNA) transfer (genetic
engineering/GE)
• Unlimited gene pool
• Research tool
• Pharmaceuticals
• Crops (‘Frankenfood’)
• Livestock?
• Forest trees?
• Fish?
• Humans?
Gene transfer (transformation)
Typical traits engineered into crops
•Herbicide resistance (e.g., ‘Roundup Ready’)
•Insect resistance (Bt toxin)
•Vitamin A (‘golden rice’)
•Fruit firmness (‘Flavr Savr’ tomato)
From the ELF FAQ
“Capitalism as a target is not
easily identifiable due to it
being an ideology rather
than a physical object.
But forms and symbols of
capitalism can be targeted
successfully … [t]he list is
endless but could include
such symbols in the U.S.
as Mt. Rushmore, the
Statue of Liberty, Disney,
Wall Street, etc.”