Bacteria created a GMO 8,000 years ago that we still eat

[Dubious]

Bacteria created a GMO 8,000 years ago that we still eat

ELLIE KINCAID

MAY 8, 2015, 6:42 PM
254

If the thought of eating genetically modified food makes you cringe because it seems unnatural, think again.

Bacteria modified the genes of plants on their own long before humans figured out how to do it, and we're still enjoying the fruits (and vegetables) of their work today.

It turns out that the sweet potato, the beloved orange root vegetable frequently eaten on Thanksgiving, has been harboring DNA inserted into its genome by bacteria long before humans started growing it for food around 8,000 years ago.

A team of scientists analyzed the genomes of hundreds of varieties of domestic sweet potatoes and found they had bits of DNA from a microbe commonly used in plant genetic engineering.

The scientists, lead by Jan Kreuze of the International Potato Center in Peru, published their results in the May 5 edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

One stretch of DNA — the code of which matched with a species of bacteria called Agrobacterium — was present in all 291 cultivated sweet potato varieties studied, but not in closely related wild plants. That makes the scientists think the bit of DNA contains a gene that gave the sweet potato a trait humans found desirable and selected for when domesticating the plant.If that's the case, the sweet potato's genetic modification may very well be the reason why we can eat (and love) it.

Unlike real potatoes, which are tubers that come from the plant's stem, the sweet potato is actually the root of the plant. These woody and fibrous bit of the plant probably needed some genetic TLC to become an edible and delicious Thanksgiving staple.

"We think the bacteria genes help the plant produce two hormones that change the root and make it something edible," virologist Jan Kreuze told NPR's Goats and Soda blog. "We need to prove that, but right now, we can't find any sweet potatoes without these genes."

Whatever the reason the bacteria genes stuck around, the way they got there in the first place is not too mysterious to plant geneticists.

"I don't think that's all that surprising," Greg Jaffe, the GMO expert at the Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington, told Goats and Soda. "Anyone who's familiar with genetic engineering wouldn't be surprised that the [bacteria] Agrobacterium inserted some DNA into some crops."

That's because Agrobacterium is a bacteria that infects plants sort of like a virus does. The microbe inserts a bit of its DNA into the genome of a plant, a process known as horizontal gene transfer, the scientists explain in PNAS. The DNA insertion from Agrobacterium causes a plant's roots to grow like crazy or grow into tumors, a condition called crown gall disease.

The scientists think an ancient horizontal gene transfer happened between Agrobacterium and the plant that all today's sweet potatos are descended from.

So even though we haven't known it until now, we've been eating genetically modified foods for thousands of years, and it hasn't killed us yet.

Read more: Bacteria made natural GMO sweet potato - Business Insider


@S.U.R.B. @Manticore @Gufi @Emmie @syedali73 @A1Kaid @Slav Defence @p(-)0ENiX

 

[Indus Falcon]

 

[S.U.R.B.]

Green: Mandatory labeling required; Red: Ban on import and cultivation of genetically engineered food.

BTW why it's not labelled in Pakistan?
They should... no?

 

[Slav Defence]

Bacteria created a GMO 8,000 years ago that we still eat

ELLIE KINCAID

MAY 8, 2015, 6:42 PM
254

If the thought of eating genetically modified food makes you cringe because it seems unnatural, think again.

Bacteria modified the genes of plants on their own long before humans figured out how to do it, and we're still enjoying the fruits (and vegetables) of their work today.

It turns out that the sweet potato, the beloved orange root vegetable frequently eaten on Thanksgiving, has been harboring DNA inserted into its genome by bacteria long before humans started growing it for food around 8,000 years ago.

A team of scientists analyzed the genomes of hundreds of varieties of domestic sweet potatoes and found they had bits of DNA from a microbe commonly used in plant genetic engineering.

The scientists, lead by Jan Kreuze of the International Potato Center in Peru, published their results in the May 5 edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

One stretch of DNA — the code of which matched with a species of bacteria called Agrobacterium — was present in all 291 cultivated sweet potato varieties studied, but not in closely related wild plants. That makes the scientists think the bit of DNA contains a gene that gave the sweet potato a trait humans found desirable and selected for when domesticating the plant.If that's the case, the sweet potato's genetic modification may very well be the reason why we can eat (and love) it.

Unlike real potatoes, which are tubers that come from the plant's stem, the sweet potato is actually the root of the plant. These woody and fibrous bit of the plant probably needed some genetic TLC to become an edible and delicious Thanksgiving staple.

"We think the bacteria genes help the plant produce two hormones that change the root and make it something edible," virologist Jan Kreuze told NPR's Goats and Soda blog. "We need to prove that, but right now, we can't find any sweet potatoes without these genes."

Whatever the reason the bacteria genes stuck around, the way they got there in the first place is not too mysterious to plant geneticists.

"I don't think that's all that surprising," Greg Jaffe, the GMO expert at the Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington, told Goats and Soda. "Anyone who's familiar with genetic engineering wouldn't be surprised that the [bacteria] Agrobacterium inserted some DNA into some crops."

That's because Agrobacterium is a bacteria that infects plants sort of like a virus does. The microbe inserts a bit of its DNA into the genome of a plant, a process known as horizontal gene transfer, the scientists explain in PNAS. The DNA insertion from Agrobacterium causes a plant's roots to grow like crazy or grow into tumors, a condition called crown gall disease.

The scientists think an ancient horizontal gene transfer happened between Agrobacterium and the plant that all today's sweet potatos are descended from.

So even though we haven't known it until now, we've been eating genetically modified foods for thousands of years, and it hasn't killed us yet.

Read more: Bacteria made natural GMO sweet potato - Business Insider


@S.U.R.B. @Manticore @Gufi @Emmie @syedali73 @A1Kaid @Slav Defence @p(-)0ENiX

I just love you Miss akheilos for posting this.In previous semester, I actually gave presentation upon GMO ,featuring research and controversies about it's potential to cause cancer.That research was conducted by Eric Seralini,founder of CRIIGEN.
In that research he used Sprague dawlay rats which were prone to cancer.
The fact is that GMO products give US economical support in many ways, while Monsanto as one of the top most GMO developing products makes promising ideas.
I guess,that biggest challenge for GMO project directors are to make better resistant crops and sprays, while avoiding side effects due to insertion in genetic constitution of Plant or environmental effects such as rise of super weeds and threat to biodiversity etc.
Natural modifications by agro bacterium opens new line of thinking for genetic engineers.They need to make detailed study that in which region of gene was horizontal transfer done,and what alterations were made by these bacteria and if,there are least consequence than why?
A team of virologist and genetic engineers must be established to make in depth study.
Regards

 

[Indus Falcon]

I just love you Miss akheilos for posting this.In previous semester, I actually gave presentation upon GMO ,featuring research and controversies about it's potential to cause cancer.That research was conducted by Eric Seralini,founder of CRIIGEN.
In that research he used Sprague dawlay rats which were prone to cancer.
The fact is that GMO products give US economical support in many ways, while Monsanto as one of the top most GMO developing products makes promising ideas.
I guess,that biggest challenge for GMO project directors are to make better resistant crops and sprays, while avoiding side effects due to insertion in genetic constitution of Plant or environmental effects such as rise of super weeds and threat to biodiversity etc.
Natural modifications by agro bacterium opens new line of thinking for genetic engineers.They need ton make detailed study that in which region of gene was horizontal transfer done,and what alterations were made by these bacteria and if,there are least consequence than why?
A team of virologist and genetic engineers must be established to make in depth study.
Regards

Can you post that presentation?

 

[rockstar08]

make it simple for me

 

[Slav Defence]

Can you post that presentation?

Currently I am on crappy tablet,will post Inshallah tomorrow.

 

[Faiez]

Bacteria created a GMO 8,000 years ago that we still eat

ELLIE KINCAID

MAY 8, 2015, 6:42 PM
254

If the thought of eating genetically modified food makes you cringe because it seems unnatural, think again.

Bacteria modified the genes of plants on their own long before humans figured out how to do it, and we're still enjoying the fruits (and vegetables) of their work today.

It turns out that the sweet potato, the beloved orange root vegetable frequently eaten on Thanksgiving, has been harboring DNA inserted into its genome by bacteria long before humans started growing it for food around 8,000 years ago.

A team of scientists analyzed the genomes of hundreds of varieties of domestic sweet potatoes and found they had bits of DNA from a microbe commonly used in plant genetic engineering.

The scientists, lead by Jan Kreuze of the International Potato Center in Peru, published their results in the May 5 edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

One stretch of DNA — the code of which matched with a species of bacteria called Agrobacterium — was present in all 291 cultivated sweet potato varieties studied, but not in closely related wild plants. That makes the scientists think the bit of DNA contains a gene that gave the sweet potato a trait humans found desirable and selected for when domesticating the plant.If that's the case, the sweet potato's genetic modification may very well be the reason why we can eat (and love) it.

Unlike real potatoes, which are tubers that come from the plant's stem, the sweet potato is actually the root of the plant. These woody and fibrous bit of the plant probably needed some genetic TLC to become an edible and delicious Thanksgiving staple.

"We think the bacteria genes help the plant produce two hormones that change the root and make it something edible," virologist Jan Kreuze told NPR's Goats and Soda blog. "We need to prove that, but right now, we can't find any sweet potatoes without these genes."

Whatever the reason the bacteria genes stuck around, the way they got there in the first place is not too mysterious to plant geneticists.

"I don't think that's all that surprising," Greg Jaffe, the GMO expert at the Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington, told Goats and Soda. "Anyone who's familiar with genetic engineering wouldn't be surprised that the [bacteria] Agrobacterium inserted some DNA into some crops."

That's because Agrobacterium is a bacteria that infects plants sort of like a virus does. The microbe inserts a bit of its DNA into the genome of a plant, a process known as horizontal gene transfer, the scientists explain in PNAS. The DNA insertion from Agrobacterium causes a plant's roots to grow like crazy or grow into tumors, a condition called crown gall disease.

The scientists think an ancient horizontal gene transfer happened between Agrobacterium and the plant that all today's sweet potatos are descended from.

So even though we haven't known it until now, we've been eating genetically modified foods for thousands of years, and it hasn't killed us yet.

Read more: Bacteria made natural GMO sweet potato - Business Insider


@S.U.R.B. @Manticore @Gufi @Emmie @syedali73 @A1Kaid @Slav Defence @p(-)0ENiX

What is this nonsense ?

Even humans are GMOs. All living organisms are continuously evolving through DNA mutations.

The controversy is that organisms have evolved to adapt to changing environments naturally over a long period of time instead of in a lab. These natural mutations are tested by nature for thousands of years. Man can do research/testing for maybe at max a few decades at very best. So the problem is that putting something out there at commercial scale without having it rigorously tested the way nature would, could have serious problems such as at worst maybe even an entire species of crop risking extinction.

 

[Slav Defence]

What is this nonsense ?

Even humans are GMOs. All living organisms are continuously evolving through DNA mutations.

The controversy is that organisms have evolved to adapt to changing environments naturally over a long period of time instead of in a lab. These natural mutations are tested by nature for thousands of years. Man can do research/testing for maybe at max a few decades at very best. So the problem is that putting something out there at commercial scale without having it rigorously tested the way nature would, could have serious problems such as at worst maybe even an entire species of crop risking extinction.

I am more convinced with traditional plant breeding methods rather than gene insertions in vitro.Although they require longer time to develop pure lines and more hard work.However, the genetic make up organism shows less consequence except inbreeding depression or expression of lethal genes(in case if plant breeder is novice and unaware of proper breeding methods ,well same goes for GE.).
The best example is of current wheat which is being used for edible purposes by both India and Pakistan, thanks to Mr.Norman Bauzlaug for inventing semi dwarf cultivar of wheat (Japanese x Mexican)
Regards

 

[Dubious]

Green: Mandatory labeling required; Red: Ban on import and cultivation of genetically engineered food.

BTW why it's not labelled in Pakistan?
They should... no?

I use A.tumefaciens it is a common bacteria in most genetic or plant research labs...

I just love you Miss akheilos for posting this.In previous semester, I actually gave presentation upon GMO ,featuring research and controversies about it's potential to cause cancer.That research was conducted by Eric Seralini,founder of CRIIGEN.
In that research he used Sprague dawlay rats which were prone to cancer.
The fact is that GMO products give US economical support in many ways, while Monsanto as one of the top most GMO developing products makes promising ideas.
I guess,that biggest challenge for GMO project directors are to make better resistant crops and sprays, while avoiding side effects due to insertion in genetic constitution of Plant or environmental effects such as rise of super weeds and threat to biodiversity etc.
Natural modifications by agro bacterium opens new line of thinking for genetic engineers.They need to make detailed study that in which region of gene was horizontal transfer done,and what alterations were made by these bacteria and if,there are least consequence than why?
A team of virologist and genetic engineers must be established to make in depth study.
Regards

1stly, virologist? You mean pathologist...virologist rarely work on bacteria as they have their own vectors...

The very fact that a sequence is found in Sweet potato suggests a few things:
1) Our DNA is the same as chimps could it be by chance that some sequence is similar however, this was crossed out with this:

One stretch of DNA — the code of which matched with a species of bacteria called Agrobacterium

As we can see in post no.3 there is a special portion that can insert like how a virus inserts its machinery into the host to use the host's ability to replicate and in such a process replicate its portion of insertion....

So the question should be was this the portion of the Agrobacterium sequence that was found in Sweet Potato?

2ndly, you need to know the process of cloning a gene....we plate it on antibiotics multiple times to ensure that the insert went in the plant and the bacteria died off....Now, if it has happened by nature 8000 yrs ago before we did this in lab and for 8000 yrs we have been eating this and UNTIL AND UNLESS cancer started 8000 yrs ago...we cant really say much regarding the rats in the experiment and how they got cancer....

Sprague dawlay rats

Finally, this is a remarkable discovery in the sense that the un necessary fear of GMO can be lifted and allow scientists to introduce drought tolerant, flood tolerant and pest tolerant plants instead of using excessive water for drought times, to loose yield during floods and instead of spraying with chemical this is a better alternative

make it simple for me

In the generation of GMO crop we use a bacteria called Agrobacterium ...

This bacteria is special because it has this area in its DNA which you can replace or insert a gene into...and the area is surrounded (flanked) by regions which code for virulent (meaning it can effect you like a virus/ bacteria/ pathogen) DNA....

so what we (scientists) do is we insert a piece of DNA say for drought tolerance into this bacteria and infect plants ( the flanking region does the infection) and the plants response (like we respond to infection with fever a plant grows cancer cells like galls)

And then you cut these galls and grow them, they have the plant DNA +bacteria DNA (with the gene inserted) we grow them on antibiotics repeatedly for few mths and then we grow the plant from those galls....

Now this research shows that this HAS ALREADY HAPPENED 8000 yrs ago without science...SO it is a natural process meaning the fear of GMO is over rated

Hope it is simple and clear, you can ask questions if I can explain to one from an unrelated field it means I understand it properly enough otherwise I suck at my work

When I read your reply I am not sure if it is lack of understanding or a poor attempt at trolling:

Even humans are GMOs. All living organisms are continuously evolving through DNA mutations.

GMO is not really mutations....

it is genetic modifications due to other organisms...

The controversy is that organisms have evolved to adapt to changing environments naturally over a long period of time instead of in a lab. These natural mutations are tested by nature for thousands of years. Man can do research/testing for maybe at max a few decades at very best. So the problem is that putting something out there at commercial scale without having it rigorously tested the way nature would, could have serious problems such as at worst maybe even an entire species of crop risking extinction.

How is it a problem when you claim (which is only recently shown by science) that it is a naturally occurring problem which selected domesticated sweet potato over the wild relatives which are not palatable?

If nature tested for it 8000yrs as in the above example sweet potato using the same virus we started using in 2004 how is it a problem?

I am more convinced with traditional plant breeding methods rather than gene insertions in vitro.Although they require longer time to develop pure lines and more hard work.However, the genetic make up organism shows less consequence except inbreeding depression or expression of lethal genes(in case if plant breeder is novice and unaware of proper breeding methods ,well same goes for GE.).

or you mean is like a bull in a china shop?!

Honestly speaking it has become common research so much that you have kits to get these things done without even knowing the science...You can even program a robot to do it without the need of a brain to think of all these stuff....

However, the only problem which we do face is the low success rate...it is not so low to worry or complain about but it isnt even 50% ....so mathematically speaking it isnt good except for Arabidopsis the model species...

And pure lines rarely are developed using GMO ...they use traditional breeding methods to ensure that the line is pure....

from NILS to MAGIC lines all use traditional breeding methods or grafting not GMO...

The best example is of current wheat which is being used for edible purposes by both India and Pakistan, thanks to Mr.Norman Bauzlaug for inventing semi dwarf cultivar of wheat (Japanese x Mexican)

I am not sure how they "invented" it or did they do a traditional cross?

Usually GMO is strictly for research except in some cases where lines already exist and are propagated and not created....

View attachment 220118

Yes, GMO animals are a tougher story coz Agrobacterium only affects SOME plants not all....

 

[Faiez]

GMO is not really mutations....

it is genetic modifications due to other organisms...

G.M.O. = Genetically Modified Organisms

How is it a problem when you claim (which is only recently shown by science) that it is a naturally occurring problem which selected domesticated sweet potato over the wild relatives which are not palatable?

If nature tested for it 8000yrs as in the above example sweet potato using the same virus we started using in 2004 how is it a problem?

Firstly, it is not a problem. Evolution is natural. Genes mutate so better adapted species survive. In nature that happens over a long period of time. You can do a similar thing artificially in the lab, modifying the genes. But the problem with that is that you can mess things up. And messing up food supply could end up badly. That's why many seed banks are being setup world wide just in case.

Thing is, while making genetic modifications, engineers have a certain criteria, which may not take into account every single thing. So there's a risk with every genetic modification.

 

[Dubious]

G.M.O. = Genetically Modified Organisms

O dear GOD!

Who thought you biology? Didnt they teach you how to do a simple research at school?

A genetically modified organism (GMO) is any organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques.GMOs are the source of genetically modified foods and are also widely used in scientific research and to produce goods other than food.

Basically, organisms whose genetics as been modified using OTHER ORGANISMS - this is important coz otherwise it is mutation not GMO

Firstly, it is not a problem. Evolution is natural. Genes mutate so better adapted species survive. In nature that happens over a long period of time.

And again GMO is not natural nor random mutation....

You can do a similar thing artificially in the lab, modifying the genes. But the problem with that is that you can mess things up. And messing up food supply could end up badly. That's why many seed banks are being setup world wide just in case.

Yes and no....Modifying genes usually is tricky and the fake fear is the same fear we have in Pakistan about not vaccine their kids of polio (why? lack of education and information)

to create 1 SIMPLE GMO it takes no less than 5 mths....that too a seedling will grow in about 4-6 mths

Why so long as I already stated the process basically you need to plate the GMO galls on antibiotics to inhibit further growth of bacteria and promote only the needed regions....It is selective...

THE ONLY THING that can go wrong is by inserting or silencing a gene, you may activate or silence a different one or a dangerous one...However, USUALLY GMO in research dont reach market while those in market need to be tested ...Only fear should be based on conservation theories where invasive species may take over and kill the local gene pool which might be better....

GMO reaching the market so far the most significant one is soy beans....in fact about 60% of the time it is GMO...


Over half of the world's 2007 soybean crop (58.6%) was genetically modified, a higher percentage than for any other crop. Each year, EU Member States import approximately 40 million tonnes of soy material, primarily destined for use as cattle, swine, and chicken feed. Soybeans are also used to produce many food additives.

In 2007, 216 million tonnes of soybeans were produced worldwide. The world’s leading soybean producers are the United States (33%), Brazil (27%), Argentina (21%), and China (7%). India and Paraguay are also noteworthy soybean producers.

Worldwide soybean production: The first genetically modified soybeans were planted in the United States in 1996. More than ten years later, GM soybeans are planted in nine countries covering more than 60 million hectares. These GM soybeans possess a gene that confers herbicide resistance.



Genetically Modified Soybean

but this research changes and SHOULD change how people view GMO

Thing is, while making genetic modifications, engineers have a certain criteria, which may not take into account every single thing. So there's a risk with every genetic modification.

The risk is only when companies try to put the crop on the market prior to proper testing...However, if you bothered to read the article it shows that the same bacteria we use for most GMO is found in sweet potato and has been in it since 8000 yrs....Now if the same process has lived 8000 yrs and not killed people (until and unless cancer started 8000yrs ago- which cant be true coz some Egyptian mummies had tumours so unless they were eating sweet potato we cant say much)...this research basically shows the technique can occur in nature and hence is not ENTIRELY DEADLY....

The only problem in lab might be we use chemicals to make the bacteria to take up the gene of interest and we use chemicals for testing....

 

[Indus Falcon]

Yes, GMO animals are a tougher story coz Agrobacterium only affects SOME plants not all....

I liked the kid, so I thought I'd troll you

 

[Bilal.]

Here's the creepy thing. Humans have embedded virus genome. We have got a fair share of genetic modification over the millennia...

 

[syedali73]

@Akheilos

GMO is not really mutations....

it is genetic modifications due to other organisms...

In pure technical terms, genetic modification is indeed mutation because you are changing the phenotype of an organism by altering its genome.

Mutation = modification of genome.

Cells (plant, mammalian) can be genetically modified without the use of other organisms (viruses are most commonly used). All you need is to transfer the DNA into the nucleus where the DNA will get itself integrated into the chromosome of the host cell. In-fact 'mutations' among GMO are not rare and it is because the mechanisms involved in DNA integration. Most of the time (even during site -specific integration) the foreign DNA will randomly get integrated in the host chromosome and you cant really control the site of integration, which may be composed of a protein coding region (a true gene) or protein non-coding region. However, we do not know if the protein non-coding region does not contain gene expression control elements. An insertional mutation (since you are inserting a DNA segment) whether in protein coding or non -coding region of a gene can potentially alter the phenotype, hence a mutated phenotype.

Whereas GMOs have lots of potential but these are horribly abused by the western corporations and I am totally against their use in the 3rd world countries. This has wreaked havoc in India and we do not want the same to happen to our farmers.

The Seeds Of Suicide: How Monsanto Destroys Farming | Global Research - Centre for Research on Globalization