Genetically Modified
Organisms (Transgenics) –
“The Right to Know”
Princeton Satellite 2013
Kathy McKone
What does it mean to be
genetically modified?

Inserting a desired gene from one organism
into an organism of a different species.
WHY Bother w/ GM Food?

1980 World Population = 4.5 Billion
2011 World Population = 7 Billion

Farmable Land disappearing

Worries about ability to produce
enough food

Concerns of pesticide & herbicide
overuse; and long-term effects of
these chemicals

The Workhorse of Genetic
Engineering = Bacteria
General GMO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
jAP6ZtfP9ZQ
More Advanced:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-IJikX1144
BioRad Intro:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIP
sjrXMMmw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m39
25Pw-VwU
Genetically Engineering Insulin

Which foods contain GM product?
US Approval for GM food crops
•Corn
•Soy
•Papaya
•Canola
•Potato
•Chicory
•Rice
•Squash
•Sugarbeet
•Tomatoes
Approval does not necessarily mean these
crops are distributed
Database of GM crops: www.agbios.com
Agriculture: Genetically Modified (GM)
Organisms

Inserting genes from one
organism (Bacteria) into
another organism (Plant).

Adding genes to plants can
make them draught or insect
resistant.

1994: first GM food was sold:
Flavr Savr tomato = able to
ripen on the vine & not turn to
mush; wasn’t successful b/c of
taste

Image:Results of insect infestation on
Bt (right) and non-Bt (left) cotton bolls.
Source: USDA
According to the USDA, in the
U.S. in 2011:





CROPS genetically
modified:
94% soy
88% corn
90% cotton
Which item would NOT
be a good selection to
test with students?
Which foods contain GM product?
% of all crop planted
100
90
GM corn
GM soy
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
19
95
19
96
19
97
19
98
19
99
20
00
20
01
20
02
20
03
20
04
0
Sources: 1996-1999 Fernandez and McBride, 2000-2004:
USDA, National Agriculture Statistics Service, Acreage.
GM Foods are NOT required to
be labeled in US.
California's Prop 37 – to label GM foods
*DEFEATED (Nov. 2012)
Biotech companies like Monsanto and
Syngenta hold patents on the GE seeds
and also "control who conducts research".
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/20
12/11/201211811503032830.html
*Monsanto, Pesticide Companies
Spend $7.1 Million to Defeat Right to
Know GMO Labeling Measure in CA
http://www.carighttoknow.org/5_million_more
Which foods yield viable plant DNA?
Very Reliable
Reliable
Fresh corn
Veggie sausages Veggie burgers
Fresh papaya
Tortilla chips
Fried corn snacks Salad dressing
Corn bread mix
Flavored tortilla
chips
Popcorn
Cereal (eg
cornflakes)
Corn meal
Puffed corn
snacks
Fries
Wheat flour
Soy flour
Meatballs and
burgers
containing soy
protein
Potato chips
Soy-based
protein
drinks/powders
Less Reliable
Very Difficult /
Not Possible
Oil
Cell Biology REVIEW:
Three Segments of a Gene



1) Promoter = found at
the beginning of a
gene; docking site of
RNA polymerase
2) Gene = codes for
protein of interest (pest
resistance)
3)Terminator = stop
transcription
Why use CaMV 35S and NOS?
CaMV 35S – Sequence for the
promoter of 35S transcript of the
Cauliflower mosaic virus.
Used because it functions in every
plant cell
NOS- Sequence for nopaline
synthase terminator from soil
bacterium Agrobacterium tumefacians
Used because it evolved to be
recognized in most plants
65% of food crops use CaMV promoter;
adding NOS detection ~ 85%
Most Used Promoter
used in GM crops

The Cauliflower
Mosaic Virus promoter
(CaMV 35S) is used in
most transgenic crops
to activate foreign
genes which have been
artificially inserted into
the host plant

http://www.microbiologyonline.org.uk/graphics/bluetong.gif
Popular gene from soil bacterium:
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)

Bt gene  protein
endotoxin (lethal to many
insects)



Pesticides are not
needed for crops!
Endotoxins are activated
by the HIGHLY
ALKALINE insect midgut.
Also kills non-target
insects (monarch
butterfly).
Desirable Traits

Pest Resistance

Herbicide Tolerance

Viral Resistance

Drought Resistance

Increased Nutritional Value;
golden rice (beta carotene)

Improved Fruit

Altered Ripening
Opponents argue
 Creation
of super pests
 Creation
of super
weeds
 Loss
of biodiversity
 Biotechnology
companies control
agriculture
GMO-Based Web Sites
Cornell
http://www.geopie.cornell.edu
University of Nebraska
http://croptechnology.unl.
edu/
Pro-GMO
http://www.monsanto.c
om

Anti-GMO
http://www.greenpeace.org

BioRad’s
GMO
Investigator
Kit Contents
Not Included but required:
•Thermal cycler
•Water bath/heat block
•Electrophoresis Module
(agarose, TAE buffer & Fast
Blast DNA stain)
•Electrophoresis equipment
& power supply
•2-20 ul pipettes & barrier
tips
 Bio-Rad
certified Non-GMO food
 InstaGene
 Master Mix
 GMO primers
 Plant PSII primers
 GMO & PSII positive control DNA
 PCR MW Ruler
 DPTPs, microtubes, PCR tubes, foam floats
 Manual